


Opal Returns

by SidezOfLife



Category: Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer
Genre: F/M, Mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-04-08 02:22:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4287075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SidezOfLife/pseuds/SidezOfLife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Many things have changed three years after Artemis' recovery. The fairies have evolved into new beings. The humans know of their existence. While the two races struggle to get along. An old friend returns, and she wants revenge, but to get it she has to kidnap a certain fairy that has information that can change the existence of the people more than the evolution.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beast Awakens

**Author's Note:**

> Many people probably don't write their Artemisnfowk stuff here or there's not a lot of new ones or just what I of, but I have this fic on wattpad and fanfiction.net, so I decided to put it here to... Enjoy!!!

The feeling of the wind in my face after so long was amazing. I slid the wings back in their slot, and dove down as fast as possible. When the ground came close, I let my wings back out, and flew back up last minute.

"Don't have too much fun Holly. You know you have to get back soon."

I rolled my eyes. "Foaly we go through this every time. If your so smart as you always claim you are. Then you should be able to predict my actions when I'm on field."

Foaly snorted. "Yeah you can think that all you want. Holly short is soooo predictable when she's on a mission for anything even something simple like picking trash of the floor. If you didn't hear the sarcasm here's a hint. I was being sarcastic!"

I jerked my head to the side at each word. "For Fronds' sake Foaly quit yelling in my ear."

"Anyway there's a plane coming lower your altitude."

"Foaly, the humans already know we exists for I don't know like 3 freakin months if you haven't caught up with the program, I suggest get over it already."

Foaly gave a snide look straight into the cammra connected to my visor.

"Its just a bad habit. Don't you start to. I've had enough of trouble nagging at my back 24/7."

I hit mute as Foaly continued to ramble on. When he stopped I turned the Mic back on.

"You done whining big baby."

"Oh shut up. Anyways since your going in the total opposite direction of where you came, your headed to Fowl' s house, aren't you."

I rolled my eyes. "Foaly how long have we been going through this. Im tired of having this conversation with you. When I go to the surface for a mission, I see Artemis when I'm done. Is that clear enough for you."

Foaly snorted which seemed amazing since he wasn't all half horse anymore. A few years after the last adventure with Artemis things started happening with the fairy race. Elves were getting taller, centaurs were losing there horse half, goblins became less ugly, gnomes' back sides weren't as big, pixies were getting taller but flawless all the same, sprites also got bigger so did their wings, but they were still green, and water sprites didn't have to always be underwater and are able to be breathe oxygen also, dwarves lost most of their talents and were thankfully less dirty and ably to clean themselves, and demons were kind of the same but bigger, they are now able to morf to and from human form.

So many things have changed. I thought more of it over as I made it to Artemis' study window. I gave a knock and smiled as Artemis came to the window.

He seemed a little agitated, he opened the window and tried his best to look happy.

"How's my favorite mudboy." The strained smile fell off his face, and turned into a scowl so deep beyond his current age.

"I am not. In the mood."

He walked away from the window and sat at his desk chair.

"Well someone's in a bad mood. What's up with you."

Artemis put a hand up to his face and started squeezing the bridge of his nose, and he sighed.

"My mother arranged a date for me because she thinks is I have no love life, and that if ones there it's dying."

"Well thats something I can agree with. Your love life is dead, or dying. You should get out more. You going on the date."

Artemis rolled his eyes no, I called and cancelled. Turns out her mother forced her to go on the date also."

"You mean you both found something you had in common like your life obsessed mothers, and fell in love anyway."

Artemis gave an unamused look.

"No we found out that are mothers are both friends, and tried to hook up their single children, and became well acquainted with one another to try to be friends, if we ever find the time. Which I highly doubt."

"You know what I take it back. Your love life is dead."

Artemis sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"If you think this conversation is over, you thought wrong."

Artemis covered a his face with his hand and groaned.

"Okay let's see. What do you look for in a girl."

"She has to be smart-"

"Aint wrong. If you were going to say smart, funny and pretty your wrong. That's what all guys say, they don't actually know what they want. Just find a girl and accept her for who she is."

"Holly that's really really bad advice."

Foaly happened to probably get a hold of one of Artemis' computers because he happened to be on one.

"Drop the intervention for now I got terrible news."

Foaly seemed to be sweating.

"From c Foaly, you look lile you've been through a hell of a beer wave. How bad can this news be. What is Opal back or something." I started laughing and Artemis chuckled a little. Foaly didn't say anything.

"You mean Opal' s back!" Artemis seemed a little lost at thought.

"That's impossible. She's dead

Foaly was shaking. Something was up, he looked over at something like it was probably another screen. He shook his head nimbly at the other screen.

"Foaly, how do you know Opals alive." Maybe he was just freaking out, and its a false alarm. Maybe he's just pulling our legs.

He clicked something, and his screen went away.

"Miss me."

It was her. I froze. I couldn't talk move or speak.

"What no response Holly, Artemis. After all we been through you didn't miss me. I'm hurt." Opal smirked. "So much has changed these last few years I've been gone. Seems like I really didn't need that gland implanted after all. I just needed to wait till the evolution."

Artemis spoke for the first time, in this situation.

"What do you want Opal."

Opal put a finger to her chin. "Hmm let's see. I want…you and your friends dead and…I think that's about it. Being dead really changes you ya'know. I don't think I want the world anymore. Just a life with out you and your friends dead, a happy life if you ask me."

Artemis seemed to keep his calm. "How are you still alive."

Opal sighed. "Of course you'd ask that question. Well I won't tell you, Artemis lofted an eyebrow. "But I know someone who does."

Foaly spoke after being silent for a while. I was so caught up with Opal I didn't see a small visor with Foaly on it.

"What do you mean by someone knows. None of us know who could it be."

Opal smiled. "Oh Foaly you know who she is." Opal clicked something and a video of a fairy girl that was an elf, had unrealistically rich dark brown caramel hair, and deep emerald eyes.

Foaly's eyes went wide. "Rose! She can't possibly know it can't be her. It's impossible. Sure she's smart but she's not that smart. She's young and immature."

Opal seemed to smile even bigger. "Well that might be the point. I've been watching her for a while after I came back. She's way smarter then she lets on. I admire her and her work. That hair of hers is so pretty, and her skin glows. I need to know her secret, but not now. Their are more important things I need from her first."

Artemis narrowed his eyes. "Like what."

"Impdortant things like ancient fairy history, and I don't mean the battle of Frond. I mean way before that. Rose has a secret lab in her basement, where she does all of her work. She's been working on some things, but I can't tell you what now can I. Opal cocked her head to the side.

I snarled, but said nothing. Opal had a snide look of triumph on her face, but when I get a hold of her, Ile wipe that look clean off her face.

"Long story short I have to get a hold of her. Good bye."

Opal went off the screen. And Foaly' s got bigger filling up the screen.

Artemis looked at Foaly Intently. "Who's Rose."

Foaly gave a worried look. "She's the youngest commander, appointed recently. In human years she'd be about your age, but that's really young for a commander. If she was a normal officer like Holly shed be a captain if she was good, or a private. She's the commander of B.L.R.F. or as L.E.P. officers call it. Blerf. They would be what you would call a biomedical engineer, or anything under bio med. They study fairies for new medicine and other important things dealing with the new evolution of the fairy race. It's a new thing the council came up with after the evolution. She surprisingly seem to catch on fast and excel in the task better than everyone. So they appointed her commander, but I have to supervise over her decisions, and other things since she's so young."

Artemis seemed to form a plan. "Well we'll have to get a hold of her before Opal does. Looks lile were going for another adventure."

I punched Artemis in the arm since I was now at his shoulder in height after the evolution of the fairies. "And this one's not your fault this time."

He rolled his eyes.


	2. Flower Picking

The whole trip seemed silent. Holly didn't want to be bothered at the moment, so the best option was to see what Opal's objective was.

"Artemis." Her voice was so soft it was hard to catch it. Holly was never one to look so broken, beaten down, and soft. It was one of the things I admired most about her.

"Yes Holly."

"When I saw Opal on the screen, I had an overwhelming sensation of wanting to kill her."

"Holly -"

"No, Artemis. It's not okay. I belong to a nation of peaceful people, we have standards, and expectations. Even with people like Opal who deserve death. Your not supposed give in to those feelings. How can I call myself a fairy."

"Holly! Don't you ever beat yourself up because of Opal and one if her schemes. What she does has nothing to do with you or how you feel that's just how she would want you to feel." 

"Holly come in." 

"Yeah Foaly, I'm here." 

"Turn around and follow the coordinates I sent you."  
Holly started flipping switches and gears in the shuttle.

"Why aren't we supposed to go to you.?"

"No we need all the time we can spare. The coordinates I sent you is the location of BLERF HQ. Opal wants her so it's best we get to her first."

"Well that she be easy."

Thinking it over a few steps more it was far fetched. "No, it won't. How do we know for sure that she'll trust a few strangers that tell her she's being hunted down by the most dangerous criminal in the world, and need you to tell us about this important information you have that no one else knows, so we can stop her, and that we need to keep you safe."

Foaly snorted. "Don't you think we thought of that."

"We?"

"Your D'Arvit right we. Your not gonna take me out of the count for this one."

"Anyway...as I was saying. She has a brother who's in the LEP we just discovered."

"Really." Holly seemed stunned. "Who?"

"You wouldn't beleive it." Trouble to apparently. I rolled my eyes because of the current situation. Who knew how much time we had?

"Actually it's not so hard to believe, just get it over with, and say it already."

"It was captain Riker Garp."

Holly shooked her head in disbelief. "It was Garp. Don't you think it's odd hes never mentioned being related to Rose."

"Whose this Riker Garp?" Holly' s never once mentioned that name before.

"He's basically Trouble' s favorite out of basically everyone. He always gets to lead the best missions, and other special privileges no one else gets."

"Holly that is so not true."

"Save it Trouble. We all know its true. You don't have to hide it, Ain't that right Foaly."

"No argument there. In fact there could be some other reasons why."  
"Shut up! Both of you! I can fire you two if u haven't noticed, in the past few years! We have more important matters to discuss.

"Where we gonna go after we pick her up." Holly's hands were clenching and unclenching the wheel.

"Your gonna go to her house, me and Trouble will be there waiting for you guys. It's the other coordinates I sent you."

"How do you guys know where she lives"

"Holly, Riker's her brother. He told us everything we needed to know "  
There was something going with these two relatives, that was easy to see. The boy never told of his relation until his sister's life was in immediate danger. She's only a commander of some sort, so she opposes no threat what so ever. There has to be a deeper explanation.

"Where is he at the moment. If he's a crucial part of the plan, surely he needs to be here." I said propping my right leg upon the left. 

"He should be there in a moment."  
Right on chue a shuttle zipped passed ours slowing down a little once it took the lead. 

"Holly scoffed. " A little reckless much. He was flying fast enough tonsloce air.  
A new voice went threw the radio. 

"Hey, Im not the greatest at flying shuttles. Its bout the only thing that could  
have kept me from joining the LEP, and I honestly don't believe in speed limits."  
Holly rolled her eyes. "That explains your ticket record." 

"Ahem, well I'll leave you two to it, or three I might say perhaps. Well me and Foaly are gonna leave you guys to it."

"Alright see ya' Trubs. See ya' Foaly."

"Its commander Kelp." And with that commander Kelp was gone."  
Captain Riker Garp came through laughing, and Holly looked at the radio annoyed. 

"Captain, if your going to communicate do not call just to laugh."

"Well if you let me finish laughing you wouldn't have to complain now would you."  
Holly's tone didn't change. "Nothing was funny in that situation what so ever."  
He tisked three times before speaking. 

"Well that's because it was a joke between me and my mind. A thought if you will, so of course you wouldn't know what was so funny unless you could read minds, which I highly doubt.  
Holly must have decided not to respond because she didn't say anything back. After a few minutes of silence the captain must have realized Holly wasn't going to respond.

" Well we should probably find some way to let the go by faster because we have a long flight ahead of us."  
Holly's hands gripped the wheel as she stared on ahead, so I decided it would be best if I took over for the moment. I had to get more information on this Riker Garp. 

"Hello Captain Riker."

"Your that Fowl dude Right?"

"If you mean Artemis Fowl by that then yes. That would be me."

He chuckled. "Sweet. Let's sing a song to pass the time. I made up this really good one when Major there wouldn't respond. I'll sing, when you know the words you can join in.

"Ohhh Major Holly's not so jolly when she's in a mood. You don't even want to see her when she drinking booze! She's having a major fit. I think she'd want to put me in a pit."

As he continued singing Holly's hands gripped the wheel even tighter. She opened her mouth as soon as she was about to say something, he started choking into a sob. He stayed there crying for a minute. Holly's gaze softend, and she took a breath and kept driving. After a few minuets he was gone.

"Well he sure was something."

"No its totally strange."

Artemis lifted an eyebrow. "How so?" 

"Riker never shows emotion on mission, or at serious times. Its one thing Trouble loves about him." 

"Now that your actual in a conversational mood. Where exactly is a destination."

"Well let me check. Its a state inbthebsouth of America." 

"Were going to America. Why would they station in America when most of anything that deals with the varies is on the other side of the world."

"Beats me."

After a few hours of flying we were almost there. Captain Garp never spoke again after his breakdown. Foaly came in with a message.

"Opal sent us a message. I think she's giving us these creepy hintsbtobmess with our heads and I think she has a new motive."

"What's it say Foaly." I didn't want to force Holly in to another situation like last time it seemednto bit her hard.

Revenge is on part of this play  
We are the performers and the world our audience  
The flower you seek holds the key  
To this extravaganza youll soon to see  
Stories are great for children and all  
But one book holds the best of them all  
The flower knows all its tales  
That can make the audience a living hell

Holly looked skeptical. "What's that even supposed to mean."

"Well Rose is obviously the flower her name is Rose. Opal obviously doesn't just want revenge anymore, but I don't know what this book she speaks of is." 

Foaly sighed. "Well its a start. Maybe Rose will have some answers when we get to her."

Pretty soon we got to our destination. It was horrid. The humidity was sticky and hot, and the suit was doing no help at all. Off to the distance a few yards was another shuttle that had obviously had a rough landing. There was a ring of caved in dirt around where the pod had landed. Beside the shuttle was a fairy with brown hair that seemed to strange of a color to be real and, eyes green as emerald. He smiled and held at his hand.

His eyes were a little red but faint, probably because he was crying. Her Holls what I said back there I didn't mean it. I was just you know finding a way to laugh through the pain. I was just worried about my sister, no hard feeling. Right? Holly simply nodded witch made his eyes brighten up a little. He looked over in my direction then beemed.

"You must be Mr. Artemis Fowl, I'm captain Garp at your service." He bowed then held out his hand which happened to be covered in greese.

I could not shake his hand. Frond knows where its been. Apparently I must have offended him because he scowled at me then looked me up and down. I was going to scowl back, but I already had a scowl on my face.

"Whatever is your reason for looking at me like that." 

He spat on the ground at my feet and smiled.

"Well now you know what it feels like when someone looks at you like that. How do you think it feels when you try to be nice to someone but they just get all judgy like. Aw I'm just pulling your leg. I know you like to make plans and all, but for this kind of situation I'm gonna need you to let me do all the talking."

I eyed him suspiciously. "Er... And why is that the case here" 

He rolled his eyes. "Because Rosie is not going to be hasty about coming with us if the golden hero of the fairies and the LEP elf side kick tell her that the crazy phsyco Koboi has a plan that only she knows about, and have to come with them. Got it?"

"Okay? But do you have a plan? We have to at least have something to go by."

He muttered something under his breath about dumb...genius...plans.

"Well if you want something to go by take this. Keep your fucking mouth shut, let me do the talking, and if something goes wrong I'll give the signal. Is that good enough for you."

 

I would have made a comment but we had limited time to spare so I just smiled wryly, but said nothing. The momentarily silence was interrupted blare from Captain Garp's helmet.

"Captain Garp! What did I tell you before you left, don't you stir up mess with Fowl there!"

"Shut up commander I done told you I wasn't gone do nuthin. If I was to start sum you would've known by now."

He then turned off his communicated then looked up and smiled. "Let's going shall we."

As we walked for a few miles we made our way to an odd but strangely yet beautiful city building in the middle of no where hardly. It seemed swerve down at the top but come back up like a wave of water. Then in big bold letters there was a gray sign with the letters B.LR.F. 

"Why on earth did she built a city building in the country."

"Beats me all I know is that Rosie sometimes can't make up her mind, or wants more than one thing at once." While walking I noticed something about his LEP uniform that sticked out from others. He wasn't wearing a jumpsuit. Just camouflage pants, boots, a black T-shirt, with a army green jacket with an LEP badge on it, and his skin was smooth despite the fact of being a fairy. 

"Why aren't you wearing the standard LEP uniform."

"That piece of shit. I told them right after I passed my test into the LEP that I won't go until they give me some uniform that ain't a jumpsuit. Sure there all techy and stuff, its just that there dumb lookin as hell, and it seems odd to me to have grown ass fairies in onesies or whatever the hell there called."

"Quite the vocabulary you got there."

"Sorry, don't try to talk like that it's just in my blood. Plus I don't know how Rosie's going to be talking, but she may swear every now and then."

Holly laughed. "Since whenever do you not swear because that would be a very important fact to right in the LEP book of legends."

"Oh haha since when did you get a since of humor" Riker said voice dripping in sarcasm.

Holly punched him in the arm, and he punched her back. She looked at him then shoved him as hard as she could, and he did the same. Holly then grabbed a fist full of his hair and yanked him down, she brought her fist up to hit him in the face but before she could, Riker kneed her in the stomach causing Holly to loose her grip. Riker laughed in triumph only to have holly kick him in his groin. 

They both kneeled over in pain. "Frond Short, watcha do that for. I was just teasing."

"Well you could just say I was doing the same." They both laughed uneasily, since they were both still obviously in pain.

"If you two simpletons are done fighting. We can walk through the door now."

Riker chuckled. "And they say your smart. Silly Fowl, you can't walk through a door you open it."

"You know what I meant." Artemis snapped clearly annoyed. 

"Well excuse me for displeasing you. Oh great one." Riker mocked bowed, "I will try harder next time when serving you."

Holly laughed a little then coughed because of the death glare being sent her way from Artemis.

As they all walked in Holly and Artemis stood still awe strucked by the odd beauty off the place. The architecture was like no other Artemis had ever seen. It was a mix of modern manly because of the technology that was everywhere, but it had a high ceiling with a magnificent chandler. On the ceiling was huge painting that covered the ceiling which captured scenes from the battle of Frond.

Holly whistled. "Quite a place here. Who did all this its amazing."

Rikers gazed softened. "Rosie did. She blue printed this whole place, even helped with the construction."

The painting was the most marvelous thing off all. It was perfect down to the stroke work. The scenes even full of blood was beautiful in its own way.

"Who painted this."

"Well Rosie of course. Enough sight seeing for now. We gotta get to her now."

Riker led us to a reseptionist desk. The lady at the desk was a pixie, she was filing her nails while talking into a head set. "Uh huh...yes...I'll set an appointment... Will that be all...have a nice day." She lifted the mike of her head set.

 

"Yes, how may I help you?"

It took Riker a moment to realize she was talking to him because she never looked up at them.

"Um...yeah we need to talk to Rose."

She looked at Riker as if he never spoke at all and was still waiting for an answer. Riker sighed dramatically.

"Commander Garp please." 

"Do you have an appointment?" 

"Brenda we go over this every time. I know you know who I am. I'm her brother just let me and my friends through the fate of the world depend on it."

Brenda ignored his last statement. "If you don't have an appointment I'm going to have to ask for you to take a number and wait in the lobby. While I try to squeeze you in. Miss Garp's schedule is very busy today."

"Brenda come on. Were seriously the only ones here. Just let us in, I promise well cause no problem. If you don't people will die. Do you want to be remembered as the girl who doomed the world? The next Pandora's box story? Is that how you want to be remembered?" 

Aparently Brenda hadn't heard him...again. "Please take a seat sir."

Riker sighed even more dramatically than the first time and stomped over to the lounging area and plopped down on a cushioned chair.

"Well that could have been better." Artemis said crossly. 

After a few minuets of waiting Brenda must have finally gotten in contact with Rose because she was talking into her headset. 

"You have visitors...Mr.Garp...junior...apparently Artemis Fowl and Major Holly Short...yes Ms. Garp...sorry er....Rose. Yes I'll send them right away."

"Number twenty one."

Riker shot up and ran to the desk. "That would be me and company."

Brenda rolled her eyes. "Ms. Rose was able to squeeze you in her schedule," she handed each of us a badge that said visitor, "Will that be all?" 

Riker narrowed his eyes at Brenda. "Don't you will that be all me Brenda. You know good and well that we don't want anything else from you." He then knocked her pencil cup and stapler of her desk and walked in the direction of an elevator.

As the doors in the elevator closed, Brenda gave one last glance at Riker and smirked. Riker pointed a finger and was about to yell something, but the elevator doors closed too quick for him to get in his last remark.

"D'Arvit. Riker swore. I was finally going to call her a bi—." Riker stopped due to the dirty look Holly was ending his way. 

"Don't look at me like that she deserves it. Every time I come here she does stuff like that. I keep telling Rose that girls a devil, but she's all like there's no way Brenda would do that she's so nice." While quoting his sister he made his voice sound squeaky. 

Soon the elevator doors opened o reveal a lab. The lab was full of people fairy and human at computers, another group of people were around a huge container which contained a rare plant of some kind. In the middle of the lab were five people, but in the middle of the five was a girl with the same hair and eyes as Riker.

She had a portable mug which obviously contained coffee in one hand, and she would take a sip every now and then while talking to a few other scientist. When the group dispersed she looked over and spotted us coming her way. She soon walked briskly in our direction, but her eyes were fixed only on Riker.

"What in Frond's name are you doing here." 

"Rosie!" Riker wrapped his arms around Rose but she just pushed him away, "Get off me! "Just answer my question," she seemed to notice Holly and I for the first time, "And who are your friends."

Riker took a deep breath. "You have to come with us. There's a crazy pixie who want a to kidnap you because you know something that they can't know, but we obviously need to know and only you know." Rose seemed to have not paid attention she was staring into spaces then her eyes widened. 

"Did she tell you guys anything like a motive, or something like a hint!" 

Riker fumbled with his pockets. "Yeah, its some sort of riddle. Foaly gave it to me on the way here I never responded back, but I did write it down."

 

~

 

Rose snatched the paper out of Riker's hands. As she was reading she felt the blood rush out of her face.

Riker she wants the book.

Which one there's a bunch of books in the world.

Can the since of humor. She wants the book full of those spells that could destroy the fate of everything.

Well what are we going to tell thing one and thing two over there.

Were going to have to tell them everything.

"Uh.. Are you guys still there? Rose snapped her attention to the fairy. 

" Yeah, I'm going to need you all to come to my office. There are important things I need to tell you." 

"How important?" The human was bright that was easy to see. From his eyes it was easy to tell he was calculating what she was going to tell them, but none of his assumptions were going to be close to what she was about to say. 

From the corner of her left eye she could see Thomas coming her way. He looked anxious, but then again he always looked anxious, but this time more than usual.

"Ms. Garp a dwarf has broke into the building."

"What! Since when! How long has he been in the building." 

"I'm afraid we don't know..mam. H-he demands t-to see his companions Artemis Fowl, Holly Short, and Riker Garp."

Holly's eyes sparked up. "Is his name Mulch Diggums." Thomas glanced over to Rose nervously, and she nodded. 

"I- I think so miss."

"Well we know him. Is it ok if he could come with us." Holly turned her direction to Rose. She looked like she'd seen a ghost, she simply nodded faintly. 

"HEY!" A dwarf walked in their direction with his arms out by his sides. 

"You guys can't hog all the fun."

"Mulch, what are you doing here. I thought you were on some secret mission." Holly punched Mulch in the arm. Mulch winced.

"Well I was, but when I heard about this Opal thing, I just had to come and help like the nice and caring person I am."

"Mulch stop kissing up. This one isn't Artemis' fault so your not getting any money out of helping us."

"Oh shut up! I don't want any money! You know I'm going straight."

Riker seemed to grow board of the conversation. "Are we going to honor what?" Mulch smiled.

"Well if it isn't the guy who's love struck on Holly." Riker glared at Mulch.

"If one more person says that I swear they're going to die! I am sick and tired of people saying that. Just because I gave Holly so much praise in that speach doesn't mean I'm in love with her. She just saved my life and I was happy to be alive. I was practically high on happiness so who knows what came out my mouth."

Mulch just chuckled. "Whatever you say." 

Holly looked at Riker and shook her head with a smile. "You don't remember what you said because the medics overdosed you on that medicine a little."

"You mean I was actually some what high." 

Holly laughed. "Yeah." Mulch and Holly exploded into a fit of giggles. Riker shook his head in disbelief. 

"Why didn't anyone stop me." 

While Mulch, Holly, and Riker were goofing off Artemis was putting all of his focus on Rose. She was talking to Thomas who still seemed anxious. Rose's face was gentle and reassuring. It must have had a huge effect on Thomas because he began to look less anxious and more confident. He then said something and began to part ways with Rose. As he walked away, Rose looked after him like mother would when the twins would go out for school. 

Rose sighed and walked over to all the commotion. "If we our on such a time limit why are you all just standing around like idiots?," Mulch raised a finger and was about to say something rude but Rose stopped him with a wave if her hand, " Don't answer that. Just follow me to my office." 

Rose walked into the direction of the elevator and everyone followed. While they were in the elevator Holly decided to make small talk. "How's being commander."

"Oh my Frond it sucks. I can't make any big decisions on my own I have to get them approved by Foaly, and its like so unfair and stuff."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Is that the best you could come up with."

Rose narrowed her eyes at Artemis. "Well I was unprepared, no ones ever cared enough to ask me that question." The elevator doors opened to grand office. In one side was a white fur ruggish carpet area with white chairs and a glass coffee table, on the other side was glass table full of technology pieces of all kinds some objects were put together some where not. 

In the back center close to the windows was a huge desk and exspensive looking chair. In the chair was a little boy that looked no more than three with curly blond hair that was curlier than Beckett's, and he appeared to be reading a black and white picture boo That was hand drawn. Beside the desk was a full grown tiger. Its eyes were watching the coming party intently.

When the child saw them come in he jumped out the chair, and started to walk in Rose's direction, but he stopped short when he saw Mulch and his eyes wided. 

"There he is! Nona get him!"


	3. The Hunt

Rose stared bluntly at the tiger attacking the dwarf for a while then sighed. Its not that she hated dwarves, but they most certainly weren't her favorite.

"Ethan you know your not supposed to set Niya on people unless there a threat or suspicious in some way." The three year old bounded back to the desk and opened a draw to pull out a file.

"He is suspicious. You've probably seen him until today, but I've seen him around here quite often." Ethan handed Rose the file, "Since you made me the head of your security, I thought it was best to keep this to myself because I didn't think it was important enough to bother you out of doing your work." Rose started flipping through pages of the book, and smiled every so often on a page.

"Mulch, just how stealthy do you think you are?, Mulch put a hand to his chest in mock hurt, " I'm wounded by your words commander, but I'll tell you. I am well giftedly stealthy, if you don't count the going straight thing very stealth, the stealthiest dwarf alive, if you ask me. Mulch continued rambling on much to Rose's amusement.

"That's to bad Mulch, this kid has been watching you like a hawk. He has so Much on You that from scanning through just a few pages and pictures, I know what you've been, doing, where your creepy little hiding place is, and how long you've been at this, and all I have to say is, why are you stalking me, and who put you up to it?"

Mulch was too busy tussling with the tiger to answer. "Call off the stupid tiger you stupid—" The tiger growled, it dug its claws in Mulch's shoulders, it was about to take a bite out of his throat, but at the flash of the moment Rose said something in a foreign language neither one of them understood.

The fact that Holly couldn't understand what Rose said to the animal ment something, if she had the gift of toungues as a fairy, how could she not understand what she said.

Artemis was intrigued, he'd never heard a language like it before. It wasn't gnomish but what other language would it be.

Rose glanced over at each one of their faces. The dwarf and the elf were her main concerns at the moment. What she was about to tell them was going to hurt them the most, it wouldn't hurt the human, but it would raise questions in his mind that Rose couldn't aford to answer at the moment. Nala stepped off the dwarf and put her head in her lap when she sat down in her office chair.

Rose cleared her throat. "Thank you for your information Ethan. Why don't you go find Thomas, and see if he wants to play." The boy nodded vigorously and ran out the door.

"Welcome again Rose, what do you wish." Rose whipped her head over to her table of small projects only to find Artemis with her tablet. She stridded stifly over to his side. "Don't touch anything over here, its all fragile or very important."

Artemis marveled at the tablet. When he turned it on a holographic screen poppeds up. It was possible to change the angle for whatever position of a person's fancy, and a artificial person program to navigate the device by voice. He was going threw several blue prints until Rose snatched up the tablet, and held it close to her chest as if she was a young talented artist who thought everything they drew was awful, and that a few old sketches were too hideous for other eyes to see.

Rose looked Artemis in the eye and responded with a small, "No." Which came out more like a squeak.

She took the tablet, and went back to her desk and sat. Riker had stood behind her chair formally as if he was a bodyguard.

Rose sighed. This was not going to be easy. "In order to explain what I know, I first have to tell the truth about the fairies, and it will also explain the evolution."

Holly and Mulch gave each other a skeptical glance. "Um," Holly began, "No fairy or human scientist can explain the sudden change in the fairy race. What makes you think you have the answer?"

"Yeah, Mulch continued, " There's been a bunch of testing on just about every fairy, but nothings been found."

Rose gave Holly and Mulch a look of sorrow. Rose chastised herself. Come on Rose pull yourself together, your slowing down too far from the red light. "Well," Rose began, " when I finish all your questions will be answered."

"There was a time when there was nothing but a void of light and a void of darkness." Everyone looked at her quizzically, except Riker who gave her a nod, which encouraged her a little, but by only an inch.

"In both voids there was a powerful being. In the light was a woman, she like the light itself pure, bright, and cheerful in every way. In the dark was a man, he was like the dark mysterious, dark, and cold. Her name was Islanzdi, his name was Zerxous. They both knew that there was another being on the other side of the voids they called there own. They grew to know, cherish, and love one another but they wanted a change, they wanted children. They both merged their two voids into one.

It was a vast darkness with specks of light. They both new in order to have children they would need a place for them and their children to dwell, but they also wanted something more. They bare two children. Twins. They were Zaiken and Rexia. After words they had a set of triplets all male named Zackerus, Herlain, and Ranein.

Artemis lifted and eyebrow. "Just how many sets of siblings were there." Rose new the situation was serious... Or at least as serious as she could make it, but she didn't take it to kindly to interruptions.

"Two, just bloody two," She replied bitterly, "Now if you excuse me, I have a tale to finish.

And lastly they had a little girl the youngest. Who held the name Arina." Holly and Mulch looked at eachother with confusion.

"This isn't explaining the evolution in the fairy race." Holly shook her head, "It doesn't even have anything to do with the fairies."

Rose's voice was full of sympathy. "Well I've only just begun." She gave Holly a look

Like she was a child that couldn't understand something they were too young to know.

"These children would soon help mold and shape the world with their hands. The family soon built a mystical place like no other where they will spend the rest of the days in merriment. Shangrala. Shangrala was very nature like with the tallest of trees and the highest of mountains, but better yet, its grand palace.

The palace was made of the finest marbles, gold, and many other valuable and precious properties. Zerxous and Islanzdi had to go soon after a while, no one knows where or why, but they couldn't sit idly by with whatever what was going on. Before they left they gave there children a task, to make a place. A place for beings. Beings to live, to wonder, and to know all they know, and cherish it all, but these beings can not live forever for it would be unnatural.

That place would need a ruler, and the ruler would need to keep peace on Shangrala between all the siblings, and they chose Zackerus. One of the young triplets. This young became king of the gods that day, a great responsibility that isn't given to just any person. " Rose stopped and let the beginning of the information sink in before continuing. She noted the human picked up things a little faster than the rest of them.

"If they were all gods than who worshiped them, all gods are worshiped."

"Well I'm getting to that, but since were on a limit on time, I can't go into detail. Zackerus was the god of the sky, anything that happened I'm the sky was his doing, he was the main creator of the elves."

Holly's head whipped at Rose paying attention more than before, but Rose turned her head not wanting to face Holly. The nausea from before was coming back stronger than before. This was it, it was happening.

"Herlain was the god of the earth and everything of it, anything that dealt with earth was his doing, he was the main creators of the dwarfs, Ranein the seas, rivers, and all, he was the main creator of the sprites. Rexia the goddess of all of emotions and things that make mortals mortals, and other important necessities mortals need, she the main creator of the demons. Zaiken was the god of death and the afterlife, he was the main creator of the pixies."

Everyone was silent. Holly's head was buzzing with questions, but she didn't know if Rose's story would answer them all or not. Heck she didn't even know if it all could be true.

Mulch was surprised he found his emotions tugging at him with all their might. What about shammy? What about the other dwarf gods he beleived in? Where they all just one huge lie?

There upset and confused. Rose thought. She could feel there emotions vibrating of them. Except the human, which bothered her. Even though her main concern was just the elf and dwarf, the fact that she wasn't able to read his emotions was like a gnat buzzing in the corner of her mind. No matter. Shell figure it out when all the mess is over.

"The youngest Arina was the goddess of fire, she was the main creator of the goblins."

Holly smiled grimly. She alway wondered who was dumb enough to give the stupidest creatures on earth the power of throwing fire, and now her question was answered. Turned out it was just a little girl that happened to be the goddess of fire.

"These gods were worshiped by all the fairies even though half of the fairy race was created by only one of them. Well that concludes the first tale. Any questions.

Mulch didn't want to except it if he did. All he knew about the special dwarf gods would be all lies.

"If these gods are real, how come no one worships them now?" Mulch nodded In agreement.

"And what about shammy and all the other dwarf gods? Does that mean that they were all based off of lies."

"Yes I believe those are a few questions I wish to be answered as well, but also another. If all these fairy gods are real, is that the same for other mythology gods such as Greek perhaps, or Egyptian, and so on."

Rose was surprised to hear the human speak for the first time. After his interruption she thought him to have become mute.

"To Holly and Mulch's question, those question will be answered in the second and last tale. As for the human, I cannot say."

I'm sure you all are aware of King Frond.

Holly was crushed at first, but then filled with rage. These gods could have obviously help them win the battle of Frond, but they didn' obviously stopped caring for them. Holly got up and pointed a finger accusingly at Rose. She yelled to the top of her lungs and spoke her mind.

She spoke her mind about how these so called gods who created them should have been there for the people. She spoke how much trouble they could've stopped, how they could've stopped the plague that could've destroyed the fairy existence, and how they could've even helped just a little bit if only a little with Opal, but they diddn't

Rose didn't meet Holly's accusing gaze.

Artemis clecnched and unclenched his hands. He couldn't sit and watch Rose and Captain Garp look like puppies who've just been kicked in the face while Holly was yelling accusations. He didn't know why they would take her words at heart so much, but he wasn't just going to watch.

Artemis stridded swiftly over to Holly's side and slapped her.

The silence in the room was deafening. Why on earth had the human slapped her. Despite Rose's emotions, she felt mystified to what the human did.

"Holly, Artemis said cooly, " I believe you said enough. Can't you see you've already hit enough sensitive notes in Riker and Rose."

Tears were streaking down Holly's face. She couldn't beleive Arty just slapped her. She sniffed and numbly sat down.

Rose opened her mouth to continue, but her voice cracked. Riker put a hand on her shoulder. Rose nodded response.

"Frond was a fraud." Riker started dryly.

Rose whinced at how bitter her brother started. Yes the information may be true, but maybe the cold hard truth was what they needed. Maybe she was too soft.

Holly stared at Riker like he was insane.

"How can you even say such a thing! Frond was one of the greatest kings there were! You should at least know that Riker! It was taught way back to little children! Songs are still sung in his name!' I can at least except a little of these gods, but coming in and saying things like that I won't except!"

Riker was unfazed by Holly's statements, he simply ignored her and continued. "Frond's father was a good man. Better than From in fact, but as older he got he realized he wanted to change some things. He plotted his fathers death. After he got his father out the way, he slowly convinced the fairy race that the gods were not great and that he was a god and how they should rule over the humans, thus starting the battle of Frond.

He got a team of dark magic users and bound them to him to make himself more poweful. The gods were not happy with him, so they didn't help during the battle of Frond, no matter how much it hurt them. To stay true to what was right they aided the humans instead to help drive the people underground, but the gods didn't let the people know. After they were driven underground the people cursed the gods and stopped worshipping them. Because of that, the legends of the gods weren't being passed to the later generations.

The gods knew the people weren't happy with them anymore, so they thought it fit for them to pretended they seased to exist. The end." Riker said bitterly.

Holly was still furious, she opened her mouth to speak her mind yet again, but Artemis didn't want to hear it.

"DA'rvit Holly that's enough! I know its hard for you to take all this in right after Opal coming back, but your going to have to suck it up for the sake of the world." Artemis ran a hand threw his hair.

"I'll take it from here Rike." Rose cleared her throat.

"What Riker says is sadly true, Rose stole a quick glance at Holly, "The main point I'm trying to get at is the evolution is actually a devolution. The evolution was when the elves got shorter and so on. Somehow the people have devolved now. Like elves getting taller etcetera etcetera.

Now that this is all sort of out the way. Tell me about this pixie."

Due to Holly and Mulch's gloomy moods Artemis explained the situation up to the riddle.

No. No no no. How did Opal know about the book. The prophecy was going on faster than she thought. Were going to need to act fast.

"She knows about the book, well at least one of them."

Holly seemed to have calmed down some. She was thankful at least for that. "What books."

"There's a few books that hold spells of dark magic. It was looked down upon the gods, but there was nothing to be done to banish it permanently, so Zackerus just studied it as much as he could. He never used it, but he felt it was better to know how to defend the negative affects it had on nature that it caused. These books were created by the first dark users who used their magic for mostly evil reasons. The gods hid the books in secret locations to keep them out the wrong hands. If you use on of the forbidden spells a curse is released. The more powerful the spell the worse the curse will be."

"So in other words we can't let her get one of these books." Artemis concluded.

"Yes, were going to need to travel to my house."

Artemis opened his mouth to say something, but Rose cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"No time. I need to check something."

They all got together and walked in the elevator. When the doors opened, Ethan and Thomas were waiting at the door.

"Thomas your in charge. I have to go, don't know when I'll be back, so keep everything in order."

Whatever cool demeanor Thomas had before had melted and he became twitchy and timid once again. "What do you mean I'm in charge. I c-cant be in charge. I—"

"Thomas, Rose cuped his cheek and gave him a tender look, "I know you can do it." She then gave his cheek two pats and walked towards the lobby leaving the others to follow. She stopped short when she saw Ethan on her heels.

"Woah! Buddy where do you think you're going."

Ethan looked puzzled. "With you. You didn't obviously think I wouldn't come, not with what happened last time."

Rose bit her lip for a minuet then sighed. "Alright, but don't get on the way or you'll get hurt."

Artemis put a hand on Rose's shoulder. "He can't come with us, he could get in serious trouble, hurt, or worse."

Rose shrugged of Artemis' hand and picked Ethan up. "Trust me if you knew what happened last time you would probably let him come too."

This guy obviously has some weird thing that makes him so jumpy about Ethan. He seemed to act as if he knew him. Rose drowned in her thoughts for a while. Come on Rose, she chastised. Get your head in the game. The hardest part hasn't even come up yet.

Rose didn't stop a heartbeat as they walked into the lobby, but she did stop to give Brenda further instruction. Brenda. The whole reason she kept her there was because of the way she could reasonably annoy people. Yes, she did her job without error, and very efficiently, but it was hilarious how she overdid little things to get on peoples nerves. Like today with Riker.

She had saw the whole thing, but didn't do anything. On the contrary...she never did.

"Brenda Thomas is in charge, take orders from him, and let everyone know also."

"Yes commander Garp. Will that be all and when are you coming back."

Rose bit her lip again. "Not sure, but don't tell anyone. I don't want them to worry."

"Yes commander Garp. Have a safe trip."

Rose opened up the front doors. She hoped they could all keep up with her. Not many people did. Every new guy she hired would always be left behind whenever it was needed to change location for whatever reason, but it wasn't as if the ones who've been there long could do any better.

Her assumptions were true. She knew Riker would be right by her side, since he was her brother, the elf was the fastest being the first to arrive, the human was second but only being so due to his long stride, the dwarf on his heels. Rose smiled. How on earth could this human have been almost last.

Mortals are so queer. No not mortals. Rose chastised herself yet again. She was acting like them.

"What's so funny." Artemis said clearly out of breathe.

"Nothing. Alright Ethan. Who you want to ride with?"

"Uhhh, the little kid scratched his head, " This guy, he pointed, "I never met your brother before. "

Rose shrugged. "Okay, " she tossed him off to Riker, "be good and all that other responsible junk."

Ethan laughed delightedly at Rose's statement.

When they all got into the shuttle, she took her seat in the front where the control panel was. Its been so long, since she been in a shuttle. Despite all the upgrading from the past few years, she could still decide what did what and how.

Oh how long ago she used to fix shuttles with him, but he was gone now and she left all those days behind, even before he slipped away.

Holly took the drivers seat, well for a shuttle, next to Rose. "You know anything about shuttles. Since you obviously haven't been in the field.

Hmph. Holly didn't know who she used to be if anything, she could drive a shuttle.

It was risky, but it wasn't like anyone could turn down a chance of showing off.

"I dabble."

"Be my guest." Holly motioned towards the controls.

Rose smirked inwardly as she pulled the right levers, pushed the right buttons, and checked what needed to be checked perfectly without a beats hesitation.

Holly wistled.. "You sure do some dabblin don't ya."

"A little."

Holly took over and followed Riker in the direction of her house. Rose went to the back soon to check on the human. He appeared to new on the phone at the moment.

"I'm fine...trust me old friend it'll be over before you know it as always...I do too big guy."

His eyes were sad despite the smile on his face. His sudden drop in mood affected Rose more than she would like it to, but she still felt sorry for him.

Artmeis soon hung up the phone and glanced over at Rose.

"Er...Sorry about listening in. I didn't mean to snoop in on your conversation."

"Its alright. Unlike some people I have nothing to hide."

Rose narrowed her eyes. If anything this guy was smart, so she didn't act to sudden. Either he was trying to get under her skin and make her angry, trying to get her to accidently spill whatever he thought she was hiding, or whatever, she didn't like it. Who did this mor— human think he was. Oh that's right, Artemis Fowl. The most annoying little prick on earth.

"Where you trying to say something."

"Oh no. It was just a mere statement. What I really want to ask is, why is your skin so smooth if your a fairy?"

This guy is on to me. "Its a rare occasion for a fairy to be borne with smooth skin, and I just happen to be one of those rare occasions."

"Really now because I don't believe that's quite true." Artemis leaned in closer to Rose. "I think something a little along the lines, but its still very different."

Rose scooted into the corner she was in front of to put as much distance between her and the mortal as possible. Which wasn't much, but she would take it.

"Really now. Im intrigued, do you wish to share the thought."

Artemis put his face inches away from Rose's. "I don't deny your part fairy, but the other part a mistery but not much of a mistery. You know so Much that is taking even the fairies years, information about gods. You must have some connection to them." He pulled his face away from hers, and waited for her reaction.

Just how much did he figure out. Rose was not used to people catching on this fast. She heard about him and how smart he was, so she wasn't suprised, but it still managed to bother her. She didn't exactly underestimate him, but she wasn't far off the mark.

"No matter how far you shrink back in the corner I can still see you."

Rose scowled. "As if I didn't know that." She snapped her fingers in his direction.

"Alright. Were here!" Holly called back.

As soon as they were all out. Ethan ran into her arms. "Woah! Somebody's happy."

Ethan giggled. "Your budder fun. He let me drive on the way here."

Rose panicked. Sure it wasn't her kid, but she'd always wory like he was, or at least that's what her mom would always tell her.

"Did he now." Rose squeezed his nose. As she walked towards the door she hit Riker on the back of his head. She unlocked the door and waited for everyone to get inside.

"Captain Garp and Major Holly. State your status and...WHATS TAKING SO D'ARVITING LONG TO TRANSFER THE PACKAGE TO HOME BASE!"

Riker and Holly whinced as Foaly screamed in there earpieces.

"Well the package had to make a stop."

Rose led the rest to her basement when Holly was done with Foaly.

"What's down here?"

That's an excellent question Major Short. Down here is my lab. A head start warning is, everything down here is mostly illegal by fairy law. Yes yes I know that's pretty bad for a commander to be braking the fairy law, but after all this is over. I'm pretty sure its something we can all over look."

"Just what's so ille—"

"Trust me. You'll know what's illegal when you see it."

As they reached the bottom step, Rose put her hand on a glowing pad that read her hand print.

The lab was very crouded, but strictly organized. There were many strange creatures locked in cages, various unidentified guns of all sizes, and many other unknown objects.

Sure Holly didn't know what any of these creatures were, but that doesn't mean they all deserved to be in cages. No matter how dangerous they were.

Artemis stopped to pick up many things, which happened to annoy Rose. Every time he picked something up Rose would take it out his hands, and say, "No." Much to her further annoyance...it was quite often.

"Will you pleas stop touching things." Artemis simply clasped his hands together, but said nothing in response. He then walked over to a table of blue prints and started sorting through them.

"What don't you bloody understand about anything I say!" Rose stomped over, snatched up all the blue prints, and relocated them."

Ethan walked over to Rose and pulled her pant leg. "Where's Rodger." He rubbed his eye.

Rose sighed and walked over to the collection of small cages, pulled out a small lizard like animal, and handed it to the boy.

"Rodgy." The small creature letnout a tiny breathe of fire, and clambered up onto the boys shoulder.

Artemis peered over Rose's shoulder at the bizarre animal on the boy's shoulder. "What is that small beast on the boys shoulder."

Holly hit Artemis in the arm. "Don't call it a beast its just a small little thing."

"Well he isn't entirely wrong, " Artemis stood straight and scowled when Rose said he was wrong. Pleased to have gotten under his skin she continued, "That little guy there is a descendant of the dragon family called Drakns in their cousins honor."

The light went out and started flickering until they finally went out.

"Rose did you forget to pay your light bill or something."

"Shut up Riker! And no of course I didn't."

The screen in the lab lit to live with a face. A face only so familiar to a few victims in the room.

"Friends we meet again. Thank you for giving me what I wanted." Opal's gaze landed on Rose.

Holly took a step. "What do you want Opal."

Opal looked at Holly bluntly. "Was my message not clear enough. I thought it to be obvious. My flower. Rose."

Holly looked over to Rose and clenched her fist.

Rose cursed under her breath. It happened sooner than she expected. Rose grabbed a shovel and threw it on the ground. Then she began to chant the ancient gnomish words as she did so she layered her voice with magic. The shovel stood up straight and hit the ground when it did earth sprung out. She dropped onto the ground and brushed the dirt off to reveal a scroll. She picked up the scroll and placed it on her stomach. She chsanted more words layered with magic, and the scroll dissolved into purple magic. The magic spread throughout Rose's body leaving runes on her arms and torso.

"I'm sending a few friends to pick up my little flower."

How come everyone was so focused on the pixie. Rose turned her attention to the scroll in Opal's hands. She had one of the dark scrolls. Rose was so focused on her task she didn't notice Ethan was watching her the whole time. He had tears in his eyes.

"Rose I'm scared." He whispered. He wrapped his arms around her.

Opal smiled at the site. "Looks like the little flower found a little bee. No matter I'll take both just for the fun of it."

As soon as Opal said her last line, six horrendous wolf like creatures charged down the steps. They snarled a snpped their jaws at her and Ethan.

Ethan screamed and his gripped tightened in Rose.

"Riker!" Rose had no idea why she called her brothers name it just made her feel better. She knew she had to let the creature take her.

Riker must have brought his sword with him because he lungedbat on of the creatures and cut his head off. The head bounced till it landed in front of them.

Ethan buried his head in Rose's waist and she helped his head there. This was no site for a child, especially at his age. She cursed inwardly. Riker new he had to let them take her, he was probably just restless but still.

Two of the creatures circled around them. The other three cornered Riker and the others.

I leave the rest up to you Rike. This is your time to shine. For dad's sake Kay?

Yeah. I know.

Rose held on to Ethan and Braced herself. As the two creatures lunged, the world dissolved into darkness and Rose saw him yet again. A small since of relief washed as she slipped into an abyss of unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for long wait I forgot I had an account on here and put this fix up. Today I'm going to post the next and all the chapters I've written. Thank you for reading I love writing all this and I'm getting better and just people actually reading it gives me joy no matter how little feedback I'm getting I love you all. ~Sidezoflife


	4. Into the Storm

Ten minuets.

Its been ten minuets since Rose was taken away from the monsters. Opal was long gone with an ending statement about about a surprise present. Artemis looked around the room frantically.

Riker moved around restlessly—swearing like a sailor.

"DA'rvit, d'arvit, d'arvit." He then started muttering under his breathe. Artemis couldn't comprehend what he was saying, but he could make an accurate guess to what he might be saying.

"We need to act fast if there's a bomb."

Riker looked up at Artemis dazed for a while then he answered. "I'm going to have to take you guys somewhere on short notice. I can't tell you, but you're going to have to trust me. I'm going to take care of the bomb. There'll be a little impact, but no explosion. Riker walked up the stairs and left the rest of them in a wave of confusion.

" What do you think that was all about." Holly looked over to where Artemis was standing. He opened his moth to reply but hesitated. He felt that the Garp twins were hiding something. Sure it was just a hunch and usually they weren't wrong. If he told Holly, he wouldn't know how she would take it. Actually with the situation they were in now he didn't know how Holly would take it.

"I think they're keeping a small piece of information from us," Holly shot a warning look, " Not like they're lying to us. I just think its a small detail that has a big atmosphere and a—" Artemis kept rambling on. A habit he picked up sometime. Where he got it, he hadn't the slitest idea, but one thing he did know it annoyed him as much as it did other people.

A jolt in the room knocked everyone down. A few minuets later Riker can down the stairs with the edges of his hair was singed, his jacket had a variety of burnt holes, and his face was covered in black soot.

"What did you do to the bomb!" Holly shrieked.

Riker shook his head, covering his surrounding area in ashes. "Not important. Alright were going to make two stops."

"I thought there was only one peculiar stop you wanted to make.

" I don't know about peculiar, but while tinkering with the bomb, I remembered something. Weren't Trouble and Foaly supposed to meet us here? Opal must have through a few while they were on the way."

Artemis pursed his lips. He should have figured that one out before he did. He wasn't himself at the time being. The antlantis complex was long gone and after that last run in with Koboi he shouldn't have been here, but here he was. Three years since that, a little over for the antlantis complex. Either Riker must know more about the situation, or he may be smarter than what meets the eye.

"That and we need to see someone before we go. I need help with what to do next."

Artemis was intrigued. Just what was he trying to hide. If he spoke this freely, they were going to be told eventually, or they were going to be forced to forget.

"We can't drive a shuttle. Were gonna need to take the jeep in the garage."

Mulch seemed to take a sudden interest in the conversation. "Aren't Jeeps those funny cars that show lots of sun.

Riker walked over to a metal cabinet, pulled out a jacket similar to his own but instead of being an LEP jacket it was just camoflodge, and pulled it on.

" Some are, but it all depends on what kind, " he walked over towards the steps, "enough talk for now we need to go."

Rose squinted at the sun shining in her eyes. Through the light she could see him. Her grandad. She never saw him much. He appeared on birthdays and special moments when she was in school. No one else could see him unless he aloud them to. She took in his familiar features. His dark brown skin, dark hair and eyes. Which irked her because her dad and his siblings couldn't see him, but her and Riker could. Gods above and below, Dad.

The plan worked as far as understood, but now she was on her own. This was the tricky part. It depends how far she can reach out to Opal. Rose studied his face. His brow was furrowed and he was staring off in space in deep thought.

He looked down at her face when he saw she was awake. He was mad. She could tell because when he got mad, he clenched his jaw as tight as it can go and had a look in his eye. She couldn't accurately describe it, but it was usually of mixed emotions with anger the most apparent.

Rose held out a hand towards him. He walked up and crouched down to the band at her level and let her touch his cheak. Well, as much as she could if you could even touch a translucent person. He somewhat held her hand there. And then he was gone.

Rose stared at her hand at where his cheak was, but she didn't move it. She wouldn't move it.

"Just what exactly are you looking at?"

Rose continued to stare for a while, then she turned her head slowly to the pixie sitting at the edge of her bed and blinked.

The pixie scowled. "No matter." She said trying not to sound testy. "Its probably just a little brain damage after your encounter with those peculiar creatures. You did suffer from some nasty injuries."

Rose looked down at herself for the first time. Her torso was completely covered in bandages, and her right arm and leg were to. She figured it must have happened when the gretcher clamped its jaws around her and Ethan.

Ethan! Oh no. If she was this hurt who knows what injuries he suffered from. Mabey it wasn't that bad. Perhaps when the creature clamped its horrendous jaws around the!, she took most of the impact.

Where is he! What have you done with him! I'm not speaking a single word to you until I see every little hair on his head!"

The pixie blinked back in astonishment. "You are covered in bandages and just had a near death experience. How come your first concern is a boy?"

Rose glared but said nothing.

The pixie sighed and picked up some type of communication device.

"Bring the boy."

A few minuets after she heard a a door slam, then their were hurried steps that got closer to the door. The door opened revealing a little boy with blond curls and a bandage wrapped around his head.

Ethan. Rose was so glad he was safe. He ran up to her and she forced herself to sit up and meet him regardless of the pain shooting all over her body.

Before Rose could hold him I'm her arms, Opal picked him up off his path and set him in her lap. She watched briskly as Opal stroked his head.

"Now now Bucky Rosaline Garp. Your wounds have hardly healed at all. We can't have you running about now, can we?"

Opal knew her name. Her full name. She hasn't used her true name ever since he left.

Riker had already told the seating arrangement —like we are all five or so. Much to his annoyance. He sat in the back with Mulch, Holly driving, and Riker said he'd be joining us in the front seat after he opens a door through the nether as he called it or for Mulch's understanding a portal.

Holly motioned her hands to places that weren't there.

"Uhh Holly."

"Yeah I know I'm not in a shuttle anymore. Just a habit of always driving one."

Riker stepped out in front of the car. "You ready Holly!"

Holly started the car and gave him a thumbs up."

Riker put one foot back and steadied his weight. He closed his eyes and extended his hands forward. Then he expanded them with his palms facing each other. As he did so, a splotch appeared in the fabric of reality as if someone cut it with a knife. The portal looked like the time tunnel but it was one u passed through. Artemis marveled a little.

It was extraordinary that Riker was doing this. The fairy book informed him that the only magic fairies could do were the mesmer, shielding, and healing. If it want magic Riker was doing then what is he doing.

After a while Riker was struggling to expand his hands more and beads of sweat were on his face. He finally thrust his hands outward which caused him to fly backwards into the bushes. Riker came back up with a smile of accomplishment.

"Alright guys let's go." Riker walked up and took his seat in the jeep, and Holly drove into the vortex. As soon as they went through they were automatically in a different location. Artemis noticed Riker was looking weaker every passing second when they wasn't through. The portal closed swiftly giving Riker a look of relief.

Artemis took a look at the surrounding area. The road was never smooth and it was bitterly cold. They were on a mountain most likely. The trip wasn't much long but the ominous silence didn't help much. After miles of driving. They reached something peculiar. Their was a snow storm in front of them, but it didn't hit them. The snow was swiveling around in the howling wind, but it stayed in one area. How was this possible.

"How are we gonna get through that storm? Is there another way we could go around it by.?"

Riker bit his lip. Just like his sister did before. "No we have to go forward. I'll take care of the storm."

Riker opened his door and stood up in his seat. He held on to the top of the jeep to keep his balance. He held out his hand forward toward the storm and stretched out to touch the outskirt of the storm.

"Holly drive up a little." Holly did as directed as his hand barely brushed across the storm, a gap big enough for the jeep to go through opened up.

Holly drove slowly into the blizzard. The impact was anything but pleasant. Artemis felt like the wind was pealing his skin away. He shook roughly at the huge drop in temperature.

"DRIVE SLOWLY!" Riker yelled as loud as possible so the wind wouldn't carry his voice away.

Holly drove slowly in the heart of the storm while Riker's arm was still out carving a path for them to go through. The speed Holly was driving was slow torcher as the cold ate through his very soul. He could feel the anger of the storm. The blizzard was mindlessly causing a disasterouse deck, searching for something to break. Nothing was visible as they progressed forward. Artemis looked over to Mulch. He was unconscious and there was a stream of blood flowing down his head. Artemis tried to call out to let a Riker and Holly know, but the wind kept snatching his voice away.

He looked at Riker who looked as if he was going to faint sometime soon. The winds started howling faster blurring his vision. He held up his arm to shield his eyes. Artemis' suit jacket flew away with the wind and his shirt started to rip in shreds. Artemis took a look at Mulch. His lips were turning blue and his skin was becoming a sickly cover.

Holly was hardly any better but she was fighting the cold enough to keep driving. Artemis squinted his eyes. He could see the outline of a house. Well it was much bigger than a house a mansion mabey, or an estate. Whatever it was they finally made it. As they made it closer there was a figure sitting on a large rock. From what he could see the figure had dark skin almost like a fairies but a tad lighter. He must be mixed or another origin of his race was possible for his skin. His hair was dark and smooth and his eyes were also dark.

Riker hopped off the jeep and struggled with every step toward the figure. He yelled but Artemis couldn't hear due to the wind. The figure was staring off in space in deep thought, his face had a dark look, and he seemed to deep in his glowering to notice Riker.

Riker yelled again and he finally looked up. He automatically stopped his glowering and looked up. His face broke out into a smile when he saw Riker. As soon as he smiled the storm just stopped leaving the whole area affected by the storm covered in snow.

The figure had strange clothing consisting of black robes trimmed in gold. He wore no shoes, but a gold chain was on his right ankle ,and he wore four rings on his left hand, in his right hand was a long gold staff with a lion head. The gold lion hand had black jewels for eyes.

Artemis was exhausted but he shook his head to wake himself up. They had to get help for Mulch.

"Riker why are you here? You should be carrying out your role in the certain series of events. With the–" He stopped when he saw the rest of us in the car. Artemis picked up Mulch and walked out. Holly did also.

"Dad why didn't you tell me she'd get hurt like that! Why did you just keep it from me! I can handel things to!"

Apparently the person Riker had to see was his father. Riker's dad's eyes saddened a little, but his smile kept its resolve.

"I'm sorry Ri. I didn't want you to worry."

"Oh, so letting Rose worry about everything else is okay!"

His dad looked puzzled for a moment. "Why are you calling her..." His voice trailed off but he looked over to Artemis and Holly and realized something. "Never mind. Let's go inside and talk things over. Your friends don't seem to be doing well."

Riker glared at his father but said nothing. When they made it to the door, Riker's dad wrung the dorrbell. The door was answered by an elven woman. She had big eyes like Rose but they were blue and fair blond hair.

"Riker!" She ignored everyone else and wrapped her arms around Riker. Riker's eyes became sad as he welcomed his mother's embrace.

"Mum."

His mom let him out of her embrace and gasped in horror when she saw Mulch. "Bless Frond's grave. Bring him in." She lead them all inside and kept walking. The house was bigger on the inside than it was outside. She led them to a sitting area with a coffee table. She swept everything off the table. "Lay him there." She putt her hair up in a loose ponytail.

Artemis followed her, so Holly could be with Mulch. After all she spent more time with him then he did. The moment they ever spent time not in world crisis would have to be the tiara incident. Plus he was very curious to how she was going to treat Mulch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. With lots of love. ~Sidezoflife


	5. The Prey and the Predator

Rose stared blankly at the pixie for a few heartbeats. With each one her heart pounded loudly in her ears. She knew her name, so more likely she probably knew more than just that. It must have been Zaiken. She bit her lip. He told her more than she would have liked, but she was going to have to bear with it.

She was never much of an open person. Not since he died. She would never truly get over his death until she finds his spirit resting in Shangrala. And she needed to find out what happened with Briar.

"So he told you a few things. That sure makes things twice as fun."

"Who told me some things?" Opal questioned with a sly smile on her face which gave the hint that she did know. Rose knew that and it irritated her slightly. Just slightly.

She probably knows that too.

Rose narrowed her eyes. She was playing dumb with her. She'd have to tell her some things first to get Opal to talk. Alright Miss Ko boi If she was making it hard for herself, shell make it hard for her.

"Well someone like you should know my circumstances, so let's get to the good part shall we?"

She didn't wait for an answer.

"I want to discus some things over dinner. If you talk openly, things run smoothly. If not. Well we have one advantage to make you do so."

Rose looked at Opal's hand stroking Ethan's head. She bit her lip. If I talk, Ethan is less likely to be put in danger. If I resist, things could hapoen. Things she could avoid, but she still needs things to go her tasted blood on her mouth and licked her lips. Bit to hard. She'd rather be torchured.

"Do I stand clear?"

She looked Opal in the eye. "If that's how you want to go about it. But I doubt it'll run smoothly."

Opal got up, but she brought Ethan along with her as she did so. "Well since your being such bad little hostage I'll just take him with me. Plus you never said you wanted him in your care, so I'll keep him with me and take care of him myself.

And with that Opal strode off to the door with Ethan and left. She was back were she started and she had no idea how Ethan was doing or if they did anything to him. She listened as Opal conversated with someone outside the door.

"Let her prepare for dinner. I don't eat with with people who look like that. Make sure you let her shower thoroughly and pick out a fresh set of clothing from whatever you two can spare."

"But Miss Koboi . . . Why would it be some of our clothing? Surely your stature would be. . ."

There was a loud smack.

"One thing you should know about me is that I am very selfish. Just do as I say." Rose listened as Opal's footsteps faded away.

She tried to jump up at the sudden movement of the door, but her wounds hindered her preforemance. A human with long blond hair pulled back in a clasp and brown eyes opened the door.

"Mrs. Garp I believe it is."

She looked but didn't answer. She wanted to make things as hard as possible for Opal's Goonies, since making things hard for her would just take too long.

"Please follow me to," he paused to search for the right word,"replenish yourself."

Rose slid off the bed then stood there staring back at the man. He motioned for her to take the lead, but she stayed in place. She wondered how long it would take him to realize she couldn't lead the way if she didn't know where she was at all.

He pulled back his hand and curled his fingers. "My bad. Follow me." He lead her down the hallway with his hands on her shoulders. The close contact with the stranger didn't make her feel any better, but at least she would be able to take a shower. Apparently she'd have to wear Mr. Proffesor or whoever else's clothing.

When they finally made it to the bathroom he pulled out a wash cloth and a towel big enough for her to cover herself with when she got out.

"Everything else you'd probably need is in the bathroom."

She walked in the bathroom. It was a squished little bathroom. The toilet was very close to the tub, a shower wasn't far from it, and there was a little counter with a sink. She turned to close the door. He was still out the door.

"Aren't you like. . . she trailed of and waited for an answer. She knew she was held captive, but they already done so many things out the book, so it wasn't irrational of her to not want him at the door. Who'd want someone at the door while they showered.

" We have to keep close tabs on you. I'm sorry, but you'll have to hear with it." Rose didn't look to happy. Maybe he was lying. She heard the convorstation at the door, and she didn't here Opal say anything about waiting outside the bathroom door as she showered.

She bit her bottom lip. "If you. . . must."

I must be to used to having things go my way at the palace. Funny because if anything I'm not spoiled...

She closed the door. Well might as well make best of what she had. She took off her clothing as she let the water run to get to the right temperature. When she stepped in the shower she winced as the water made contact with her injuries, but relaxed when they became accustomed to the feel.

It was nice to wash all the dirt and grime off her skin. With all of the gretchr blood and some of her own. Her nose crinkled at the sweat smell of the soap. Its not like she disliked scented soap. It was just to sweet for her liking. Persephone would have loved it.

Persephone. She was one of them. Even though she wished sometimes she wasn't. Persephone is a kind, loving, free spirit. She wondered how Zues and Demeter gave birth to such a loving charismatic creature unlike themselves. Its not that Demeter was any bad. She just went through a hard time after having her daughter kidnapped, and she's just really faithful with keeping a grudge.

The only reason she resented Zues was because of what he did. He accused her father of a crime that doesn't really exist. He's probably just jelouse of her fathers great marriage with her mother. Her mother was an elf. Just because he had trouble staying faithful to his wife at times and that Hera felt the need to wrong all the woman he had an affair with. Doesn't mean that he has to try to make her fathers life miserable.

Her father just wanted to spend the rest of his endless eons of life with the woman he loved, so he made her immortal. Well at least part immortal. Other wise she would be fully immortal, but she wasn't.

Even if their families were merging. They don't have the same customs. So what if on our side were more leniant with granting immortality and giving second chances. We just have more sympathy for the mortals we created. Unlike them with there heartless, uncompassionate, merciless, egomaniacal, fools. Who can't get along for at least one minuet let alon to settling down old disputes for as long as they've been living.

If your immortal what was the point of holding on to something making your existence a living hell. Only because of one thing maybe stupid maybe not. It's understandable for Demeter to be hostile towards Hades, but he kidnapped Persephone EONS ago. How can she still resent him that much. Yes he took your daughter and she was one of the things you felt you had left after Zues totally crushed your heart. You felt that Persephone was the only thread of love you had left.

Then Hades took her away from you, and that pissed you off completely, but after over a thousand years could you ya know. . . have colled down by now or at least a little. But hey. There's all type of people in the world.

Rose turned off the water and stepped out the shower. What was she supposed to do now. Dry herself off then just walk out there in a towel. Her shoulders drooped. Apparently that's what she was supposed to do, so she did just that.

She opened the door and almost dropped her towel when she saw a large elf. Gods if he was this tall then he must have been tall after the devolution too. A wry smile crept on her lips. He was probably picked on for that in school.

"Falling stars your huge!"

He looked down on her with an annoyed expression on his face. "What kind of person says falling stars? No one says that."

She dabbed his noce with her finger. "Well your wrong big guy. One I said it, and two I am a person, so that means people do say because I said it, and I am a part of the chatagory of people. Its very broad if you must know.

The large elf grabbed her by the fore arm and started dragging her down the hall. " If I must know. If I must," he said mocking her voice, "Well let me tell you something you can know."

"You wasting my time!"

She winced as he slammed her up against the wall. She felt a wound on her right side reopen.

"When people waste my time I get a little agitated!" He brought his face eye level to hers and put his hand on her throat to choke her. It didn't take much pressure considering the position she was in.

She tried to pull her face away a few inches away from his face, but he was bearing his weight down on her, so she couldn't. He put his mouth close to her ear.

"Don't think I don't know its you. Ever since you left my brother was obsessed finding you. He got us cast out the village all because of you. If you would have just let us kill the ghastly thing none of what we went through could have happened. Maybe this wouldn't be happening but it is. So I'm going to try to make your life a living hell as much as possible."

He squeezed her throat a little harder. Just what was he talking about. What villedge or dragon was he talking about. When was — Oh. It was them. The two fools who tried to kill the dragon for no reason at all. Her companion had gotten seriously injured but had no idea how to help him, so she went to the nearest village for help. She can't speak to them properly because she was a dragon, but because of her size she wrecked a lot of things.

Yes, she almost destroyed half the village, but that gave no reason to hunt her down after she left. She realized you all would have been no assistance what so ever and left. Not her fault at all. When she saw all the commotion, she went down to help. She healed her companion, but because she knew the village people would eventually find the dragons, she stayed.

And of course she was right. A human and a elf came to slay the dragon and take its head to their village. She explained everything to them, but their excuse was they promised to the village they would bring back the head of the dragon that destroyed their home.

Either Opal knew the story and brought them back to vigorously annoy her, or she didn't know and gained a bonus. The odds were not in her favor, but they clearly were in someone else's.

"Fergot what are you doing!"

She gasped for air when he released his grip on her throat. She put her hand to her right side and looked to see the huge spot of read on her towel.

"You hurt her!" His voice was high in panic and worry. He pushed the elf away that apparently somehow was his brother. He put his hand on her check with such raw tenderness. She could see his true heart was sick. It was focused on something, blocking out every other important fact in life. Something that dealt with her.

He picked her up in his arms and held her close to his chest like a new born babe. He caried her down the hallway and cupped her head with his hand and whispered in her ear.

"Your going to be okay. I'm going to help you. To do so accurately I'm going to need you to go in and find something to wear quick. When you do that, you won't have time to put on the shirt, so just wrap your torso with the towel. He placed her to the ground in front of door and opened it.

When she walked inside. There was a pair of undergarments and a pair of wripped leggings with a note attached. She put them on and left the note on the bed. It was probably from Opal, but she would have to read it later. She knocked on the door to let him no she was done.

He came on the room with a suitcase and a bag. He walked over to the nightstand beside the bed, cleared it off, and set up the suitcase.

"Quickly, sit here!" He motioned to somewhere near the nightstand

She sat next to the nightstand and held the towel over her upper torso, so he could tend to her wound. Curious to how bad her wounds were she looked down and was mortified. There were big holes that followed the shape of a jawline. They were wide as a third of her pinkie and deep as her pinkie.

She cried out as he poked at one of the holes with a pair of tweasers. She could see he was upset from the way he kept clenching and unclenching his jaw, but he also had a confused look on his face.

"What is it?"

"There seems to be something lodged in one of the holes close to the center. I think it's one of the createres teeth, but it shouldn't be there."

"W-why shouldn't it be there?" Rose felt herself panicking. Not now. This can't happen now. She needed to stay calm for this.

"Because I already took it out."

Artemis peered over Mrs. Garp's shoulder as she treated Mulch. She mixed a few substances he'd never seen before and placed them in hot water. Then she added honey. She said it was to take out the bitter taste of the herbs.

She somehow knew about his secret dwarf talents as Mulch always said and put the warm substance on his beard hairs. When the hairs sucked it all, Mulch's original sheen was coming back.

"Well it'll be a while before he wakes up, but my work here is done. You both look a little worn out I'll make you both a nice mixture that'll warm you up and give you more energy for the rest of whatever you have to do."

She led him and Holly to the kitchen and motioned for them to sit at the bar area. She brought out milk, honey, a few herbs of somekind, and a strange liquid substance that was a pinkish red color. While she was making the peculiar drink, she started a conversation.

"Well first things first what all did she tell you guys?"

Artemis blinked. "Pardon?"

"What all did she tell you at her office. She must have told you something, but I'm positive she didn't tell you all of it. "

"It seemed like a full plate of information to me." Holly sulked.

"Well dearie," she filled two coffee mugs with the liquid from the pot on the stove,"Rose is a very secure person. She keeps huge layard walls around her. She can make a friend, but she ends up knowing every single fact about them, and they'll barely know her favorite color."

Artemis was perplexed. It seems she was hiding something. He looked at Holly and raised an eyebrow, but she rolled her eyes. She must not believe him. Well in due time they'll know. He was quite sure he was right. Who knows. Its probably something good.

"Did she tell you anything about herself? Like who her family was or". . .

Artemis and Holly stared back at her with no response. Her face broke into an agitated look, and she started muttering under her breath.

" Riker! Zack! Get in here!"

Riker and the man came into the kitchen. Artemis noticed from their body language that whatever they were talking about must have been pretty intense.

"Yeah Ma."

"Did Rose ever tell them anything about you or her when explaining things to them."

Riker started looking around the room, but his eyes ended back where they started.

"No."

A fire lighted in Mrs. Garp's eyes. "And pray tell, why NOT!"

"Well she told me to trust her before she talked to them and next thing I knew she was only telling them half the information."

"But you let her do it."

Riker sighed in defeat.

Mrs. Garp started biting her thumbnail, but she wasn't chewing it. A strange habit of somekind. Artemis thought.

"Well if you two weren't planning to tell them I will."

"I don't think that's a good idea " Mr. Garp apparently took some sudden interest in the conversation.

"Why not! No one else seems accustomed to following their part of the bargain!" She gave Riker a look.

"We'll. . . your to straight forward with things. Your not good at easing in to it, so people can take it in better."

"Excuse me for not being able to tell heart stopping information good enough, but last time I checked all of this," she waved her hands in the air, "is on a time limit. My daughter is in danger and the ones that are responsible with the job of saving her are lounging about in my house at the moment. I am so sorry for my inacurasy of sugar coating information. They are all adults capable of life and I think they should handle this type of stuff. Especially what all they've been through.

That human over there most of all. He took a chance at fairies being real at the age of twelve. I think he can handle it better than the rest."

Mrs. Garp stormed out the kitchen in a flame. Her husband sighed and took a seat at the table. He propped his right ancle on his left leg and leaned back.

"Well now that that's over we should hurry this up a little. I need to go back to her. She's just worried about. . .Rose and other things that ate going on. A tinge of guilt was in his voice, but his smiling face never wavered a second which was very unsettling in Artemis' opinion.

" She did tell you about the . . ancient religion of the people, yes?"

"Yes, Will this," Artemis searched for the right word, "confirm some things."

Mr. Garp smiled as if they were sharing a joke. "Yes, a lot of things will be. . . and more. More and all your precious little heart's desire."

Artemis pressed his lips in a thin line not sure how to respond back.

"Well if you alow, I will begin. I'll say something and then you ask questions. Good? Good.

The ancient fairy gods are real and I am one of them. I am Zackerus god of the sky and everything to deal with it. Mostly. Can't give myself too much credit."

Artemis was stunned and didn't say anything for a while. If the ancient gods of the people were in existence then there must be others. There just has to but from Rose, it seems evident that her father wouldn't answer the question directly either.

From the corner of his eye he saw Holly get up slowly. He knows what she want was clarity of things tied to the fall of the people, justice for the events that caused too much pain, and something else maybe he didn't even know. This time he wasn't going to stop her.

She was looking down so he couldn't see her eyes, but when she raised her head to confront Zackerus, she had tears in her eyes.

"Why didn't you help?" Her voice was a soft whisper.

"Surely if your a god you could have helped. The fairies could have stayed above ground. The people wouldn't have to deal with what were going through now. The mud people couldn't handle different skin colors.

Now theres beings that have pointed ears, horse halfs, wings, green skin and flame throwing ability, creatures to deal with, and countless others. If you would have helped the people could have avoided so much hate and pain they wouldn't have to go through."

By the end of Holly' s speach she had tears streaming down her face and Zackerus was no much better. He was in fact a silent crier if he's been crying this whole time.

He held out a hand to touch Holly, but she backed out of his reach.

"Hey look at me." Holly held her head down. "Look at me. . .please. It'll mean so much more if you just look please. He kept choking back sobs but continued to talk.

It–it hurts. It hurts to see a creation you've seen grow so many years fall apart. Frond slowly turned the people against us after he miss used the power we gave him. When the people were first driven to the ground. They refused to acknowledge us. They shunned the people who wanted to until they changed there minds from pressure from there neighboring people.

They stopped telling their children about us until generation after generation didn't even know our names. By that time it was to late to do anything, so we thought it best to keep out of their lives. So we watched, we've seen all what they've been through. There so many things we would liked to have changed back then." Zackerus looked down with a sad expression.

"Don't beat yourself up for it., Holly hopped down from her seat and put her hands on his shoulders,"I just wanted to hear it from you. I wanted to hear the reason why to confirm that maybe it was for the people's good and it was. Please just. . .don't."

Artemis respected Holly and her feelings. It seemed like an important situation for the both of them. Holly needed it to keep her for resenting herself for the feelings she has toward Opal, but for the other he did not know.

"Well," the god slapped his thighs, " you all need to be on your way and fast."

"But where are we going we don't have a lead to Rose's location." Artemis was intrigued to the conversation between the father and son earlier.

"Well long story short. That pixie has created her own void to hide out in, and you'll have to find a way into it. For more info on voids you must ask Riker. For now I'll take you to top so travel will be quick and easy."

"The top?"

"Well that's just what I call it now, but if you want me to be the all powerful mystifying god; I'm taking you to the sky where you can see everything and go anywhere in just a few steps. Does that satisfy you."

Artemis smirked. "Partially."

Artemis gasped for breath after the god gave him a hearty slap on the back.

"Ahh a thirst of knowledge is always good."

Artemis slowed his pace, so he could walk in sync with Holly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah today's been a rough day." Holly put a hand on her check, and he immediately began to feel guilty. He hit Holly. Why on earth would he have ever done that. He would never in his life do that especially in the past when they thought they could be together.

Holly had lost faith in them soon after they had started. The world and media was thrilled when the famous world heroes got together, but there had been problems. They were both busy with work a lot so that took away some time for the relationship.

Holly became more insecure with the fact she was a fairy and older, and she always pointed out he was going to die first, but he was more than willing to not care, and he would always push those things away but she couldn't. With the adjustment to the knew clone he would get the worste head aches which would make him testy and Holly fealt like everything that happened was her fault. Not only were there headaches he's been having the worst nightmares. He'd dream about his skin pealing off and when he tried to wake Holly up his hands would go right through her. He'd call and call her name. He'd call her name until he couldn't so much as whisper, but she would never hear him and the same was with the rest of his friends and family.

He would wake up in a cold sweat. Sometimes she was buy his side to comfort him but most of the time she wasn't. Now she's not there at all.

He tried to tell her it wasn't her fault, but she wouldn't take it. Maybe some things just weren't meant to be.

The deity stopped in front of grand dark wood doors. Artemis brushed his knuckles on some of the carvings, and he put pressure of a few places of the door.

"These doors are old. How long have they been here?"

"The door exists only were I permit it, and its been around ever since my father carved it."

"Your father?," Artemis queried, " Zerxous you mean."

"Who my father?," The deity snapped back testily, " I've never heard of him!"

"Now," the deity shoved Artemis back from the door," we shall continue. "

Artemis peered around Zackerus and took another look at the door. He noticed it didn't have handles this time.

Zackerus put his hands on the door and muttered a few words in a language he didn't understand, gnomish, Greek, then back to the first language. While he muttered the ancient words the door glowed white brighter and brighter till Artemis had to turn his eyes and look away. When Artemis looked back, the dorrs were gone.

"Alright lets be hasty about things." With a newly gained joy he rushed through the door. Artemis took one step and stared at the floor beneith him. The floor was a white fluffy surface. Then a revelation came to him. I'm standing on a cloud. He chuckled and squat down to feel it with his hands. If clouds were made upnof dirt and water particals how are they standing where they are. If Butler could see me now.

"Are you just going to stare at the ground all day or join us hmm, or rather the sky but enough of that come and be quickly about it. Must I always repeat myself!"

Artemis popped his head up from his inquiries and walked towards them but with each step he sunk and he didn't realize until he was nee deep and couldn't walk accurately.

"It's okay. Just keep moving along. Mortal humans have a harder time with getting the hang of it than mortal fairies."

Artemis noticed Holly was only ankle deep in the vast fluff. She was smirking down at him, probably thinking something along the lines that the most intelligent being of numerous people in the world, who could beleive in fairy's can't even walk on cloud. He gave her a wry smile and kept walking. Which was more of struggling, but with each step he rose and he was at her side in no time with his feet placed firmly above the ground.

I guess in some ways I can still slow us down.

" Is that so. " Artemis brushed off the white specks wich left some wet spots in his suit which he would have to worry about later.

"No I just said that to say it."

Artemis gave a flat look of annoyance and opened his mouth to say—

"Wait!"

Mrs. Garp was walking swiftly in their direction with a stout figure stumbling at her feet.

"He woke sooner than I expected and ate quite a bit. I need to go to the grocery store again by the way." She didn't look to nicely in Mulch's direction before storming off.

"I thought you said the door only opens when you permit it too." Artemis questioned.

"With the exception of others connected to me. I'm afraid I left that little tid bit out the first time."

"Alright let's get a move on. With a dwarf with us it'll take us back a few."

"Just how?"

The air suddenly dropped a few tempatures and the deity abrutely stopped causing Holly to run into his back. Artemis stopped so he wouldn't run into Holly but Mulch tripped over his feet in the process.

"Watch it Fowl with your..." He muttered out the rest.

The god picked Holly up by her shoulders and placed her out of the way. He walked to Artemis and put his finger in his face.

"If you ask one more question. I swear on Helyai I will freeze your mouth shut."

"Dad!"

Zackerus gave his son one bloodshot look, then his eyes cleared while a ripple went through him.

"I'm fine. Honest. Let's get you all where you need to go."

After long hours of screaming curses as the human worked, her wounds were freshly stitched and dressed. He brought a water basin with soap and a washcloth to clean off the recent blood that covered her.

"Let me take you to the closet, so you can pick out a shirt to your liking. I was going give you a plain button down, but since my brother gave you quite a bit of trouble... I'll give you the freedom of choice."

"Thank you." Alright she was done. After this she is going back to the quiet and difficult.

More like starting.

On one side of the closet there were lots of slacks, polos, button downs, and sweaters. The other side was made up of t-shirts, swestshirts, jeans, and swestpants. Some of the sweatshirts and t-shirts had explicit images of violence and torture all of which she had never would have thought could be possible. One had a decapitated goat, another had an image of a man that was clearly tortured, and many were like the rest or worse.

She took a deep breath, let it out, and went back to look at the sweaters on the other side. She picked a purple pastel sweater with the weird black, pink, and a darker shade of purple diamond collaboration things she never did understand.

Mr. Proffeser sucked in a short breath between his teeth.

"Are you sure you want a sweater you could get really hot and–"

He stopped when he realized she was not going to put the sweater back.

"Looks like you don't want to share any of your sweaters. Too bad because you said I can pick whatever I want."

She put the sweater on and looked in the closet mirror. About o their of the sleeve length went past her hands, and the sweater ended half way to her knees. This guy was bigger than he looks. She hadn't exactly noted his height and because of is brother if she noticed she forgot.

"I know what and I promised, and as a man of my word, my proposition still stands."

"And so it shall."

He sighed in defeat. It gave her some satisfaction, but not enough to keep toying with. She wanted to mess with someones head. Not the most civil act, but she never took it to far to drive someone insane or anything along those lines. Sure Ma hates when I'd do it, but at some point in life it won't be debatable weather or not she'll keep doing it.

"It's about time to prepare for dinner. I'll need your help in the kitchen since my brother is...engaged with something else at the moment."

Rose only gave a smile in response.

"Oh wait I almost forgot."

He went to the nightstand and started rumbling in the suitcase until he took out some bracelet looking thing. He walked over to her while opening the clasp.

"Give me a leg."

She lifted her left foot and put it on his thigh. He was about to clasp it on her ankle when at the last minuet she put her foot on his face and pushed it out of her veiw.

"What is that thing." She smiled knowingly she was getting on his nerves.

"A tracking device. Now," he put the clasp on her ankle then grabbed her foot and fimly placed it on the ground, "lets keep our feet to ourselves."

Rose smiled but said nothing.

This is going to be fun all in its own little way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of love ~Sidezoflife


	6. Chapter 6 The Feast

Artemis was surrounded by darkness. It wasn't a horrible or terrible experience but a peaceful one. Wind was blowing everywhere and he was overwhelmed with the feeling to rest. Yes, that was it. To rest and wake up fully replenished. 

Sleep is good. Sleep...forever.

Yes he could sleep forever even. To have this forever, never to feel tired, mad, sad, or anything. Just eternal sleep.

"ARTEMIS!" 

That's was his name. Whoever was calling should be more considerate of one's sleep. They should sleep themselves. 

"Artemis Fowl the Second! Wake up, you are falling to your death!"

Artemis slowly opened his eyes which was hard due to the constant blowing of the wind. He was falling and the ground was getting anything but closer. He started flailing his arms which didn't help the situation any. Holly's wings were drawer back since she was diving next to him. Probably because he was passed out.

No mortal! 'Twas sleep. Don't let fairy mortal stop sleep. Make her sleep too!

That's right. Sleep was good. No one will stop his sleep. Not even Holly. 

Artemis wrapped his hands around her throat. Holly gasped for air and tried to pry his hands off, but Artemis was holding on with unusually inhuman strength. He pulled her closer and yelled.

"You will not stop sleep! No matter how strong you are sleep overrules in the end!"

"A– Artemis. . .y–you."

"SLEEP!" 

Artemis applied more pressure on Holly's throat. She did everything she could to get out of his grip, but she was slowly slipping out of conscious. A black and nut colored blur past by. The came back up and took Artemis as soon as she caught her breath she followed it down. The thing had Artemis by the throat, and its intentions didn't seem highly in their favor so best she moved swiftly. She positioned for a quick dive but a few seconds later; she was hovering above the ground. 

Holly flailed her arms and legs helplessly as she dangled above the ground. A good thirty minutes might have passed or at least it just felt that way. She had to catch up with that thing and Attemis...oh god Artemis. Did he regain his right mind, was he okay, is that monster torturing him, is it going to eat him..Holly's mind searched desperately for answers but none of them were any good. All she needed was to save Artemis, but she was stuck here dangling above the– 

"Watching you is such a sad experience," Holly looked in front of her to see the man they had met on the mountain in a strange dress consisting of a long unusual black robe trimmed with gold, a gold staff with a lion head with onyx jewels for eyes. Artemis was laying limp in an uncomfortable position. Just laying there on his back. She wanted to go over and prop his against the tree in a suitable position and give this so called God a talking to. God or not he wasn't going to make a fool out of them, "I mean just dangling there worrying more about your friend rather than yourself."

He waved his hand and Holly fell to the ground. 

"Considering the fact he was possessed by a wind spirit or rather Swirn to be pacific."

"It has a name too?!" 

The deity scowled. "Well that is a very dumb question; it's like questioning if any fairy or human mortal has a name." 

Holly was expecting for him to regain his regular cheery composer, but his scowl remained. A trail of a few leaves flew by the deity's head revealing to hollow eyes formed by the wind. She could only faintly see it but a figure slightly bigger than the greater being's head, that was white with hollowed spaces for eyes, with the leaves trailing around the bottom of its figure.

Holly got up and brushed the dirt off her suit, wiped her mouth and spat on the ground. 

"Thank you for the mouthful of dirt."

"Your welcome. I should repay you as highly as possible considering your job is to rescue my daughter."

"Rose, right? I don't want to get her mixed up with anyone else. I'm pretty sure it's a hard task. I don't want to get mixed up in all the confusion and accidentally leave her there."

He frowned and set Artemis on the ground still not in a comfortable position. He walked in front of Holly and looked down on her. She was pretty sure he did that intentionally to tick her off even more.

"If I were you, I would be careful with the words that come out of my mouth. There might be a greater part of things that aren't knowledgeable to us, and that there maybe some things other people are going through. So let's have nice conversation on things unknown; hmm?"

The deity brought his face really close to Holly and she felt a strong ripple of waves pass through her. She held her throat and tried not to cough up her lungs. Then, with another flick of his wrist she was freed from his wrath. He walked to his stump and motioned for her to sit nearby and she did without question. 

It wasn't like she hesitated for a few heartbeats first.

 

~

 

Rose ate quietly while observing around the dinning table. Opal seemed content with her meal, but Ethan not so much. She proposed for the guy to make something simple for the boy with something he likes and then the things he doesn't but needs. For example chicken breast strips, a green vegetable, and mashed potatoes. The problem being Opal detests chicken. It wasn't like the chicken was for her, but apparently the sight of it drives her mad, so no chicken strips.

Opal was not helping the cause by trying to spoil the child. They were having a Greek styled pasta and salad for dinner. Not quite her taste but she didn't know when her next meal was, so she ate nonetheless. The Fergot character was nowhere to be seen. Opal was apparently very cross with him and sent him out somewhere to repent for his sins. Mr. Professor, or whatever happened to be his name, didn't seem to like the meal either despite the fact he prepared it. 

"This nasty. I want sum else." Ethen pushed his plate away and crossed his arms."

"Ethan you need to eat something. I don't know when your next meal will be. Our," she cleared her throat, " captors have been generous enough to treat us so generously like they have been, so the nicest thing to do is at least eat. You don't have to eat the pasta, but at least tolerate the salad."

Ethan still had a stubborn look on his face. "No!" I want ice cream." 

Opal gave Rose a questionable look. She seemed interested in how she was going to handle this situation. 

"Get the boy ice cream."

Mr. Professor was in a daze but quickly snapped out. "Ms. Koboi?"

"Now!" Opal snapped her fingers.

Rose gave Opal an annoyed look. Why was she making everything as hard as possible for her? Can she at least manage the proper care of this child to make sure his health is up to par. Frankly not from the way Opal kept testing her patience. The man took the boys plate and set a rather questionable amount of ice cream in a bowl with lots of toppings in front of him. 

Ethan squealed with delight until she took the bowl and pushed it out of his reach. He started crying and screeching. They may be kidnapped, but it wasn't like she was going to stop parenting him. He needs a little discipline. From the lack of attention he gets from his real mother. If she ever does pay attention to him, she spoils him. 

"Ethan have I ever given ice cream at all before dinner?"

He shook his head;his curls were bouncing with every shake. How adorable he looks. She hated this part of everything. Reminding her of the time, when his mother used to make her be the bad guy, whenever she saw how much of a good job she was doing with the boy rather then her. He wouldn't interact with her in any way for a while, but she wasn't going to risk the upbringing of this child, so she had to stay strong.

"Then why would you let someone else do so, even though you know it's wrong?"

He shrugged his shoulders with his head hung low.

"I'm not mad at you Ethan," her voiced cracked while tears were stinging her eyes, "just don't let it happen again, okay?" 

"Okay."

Ethan looked at her for a while and stared until his eyes no longer held the a child's look of regretfulness after they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. It quickly changed when he saw a tear run do her face. Something was going on that he couldn't understand but he could since how she felt in these type of situations and could feel that it was very serious. 

He put a hand on her arm and smiled. "It's ok. Don't think about bad mommy. She not here, and she not make you do bad things, otay? You are good mommy."

"Rose laughed silently and smiled down in return but her eyes still had a tinge of sadness within them. She was not his mother, but as much as she took care of him and his siblings she knew how they cared for her more than they ever would for their real mom. She still wasn't their mother and nothing could change that. 

"Why do you care about him, his siblings, their lives their....father?"

She laughed.

Rose laughed for a long while. Even with all of Opal's intelligence and cleverness she was still like all the others. People just assumed she was some slut or home wrecker getting in the middle of a marriage. She always new Frank's wife thought he hired her to baby sit because they had an affair, so she turned the job down, but he kept persisting that she take the job because he knew she was having financial troubles. 

"Aren't you supposed to be a genius? Surely you should be more clever than this." 

She got out of her chair and took a step with each word, "Something. Is. Prodding. At. Your. Side." 

She came up behind Opal's chair and put her mouth by her ear, "Death calls upon any man that dwells in the book of strife. For the snake's tongue will slither down the throat of any mortal who plays with death. ." 

Opal's breath hitches and she drops her glass. "Laouthr." She responds. Barely a whisper. 

Rose knew what she was doing was risky, but it wasn't for her. 

 

I know I haven't been updating in a while but summer doesn't give me alot of time to write as much as thought especially with and amp going on, so i know this chapter was too short to even call a chapter but i guess it's better than no update at all and I've proof read this one better other chapter's.

Also I will get better at all of this after a while just need a good jumpstart to keep the engine running you know so I love you more than words can say if you've faithfully waited for this chapter and stayed faithful to the fix and I also love the people who just read it all for the first time your all awsome. 

Love you all ~~Sidezoflife


	7. Family Reunion

Opal was giving Rose a glare sharp as death itself, but she had one to match.

Like the bite of steel on steel.

"Don't speak to me as if you know what suffering feels like. I didn't voluntarily chose to be like this. It was all of the hate and pain around me," Opal stood up and and got in Rose's face,"it was my father."

Opal put her hands on Rose's throat and in a instant a illuminacent gold light trailed up her legs until it met her hands at Rose's throat.

She already accomplished it. Things were finally in her favor. She could turn this all around for her And her uncle, her father wouldn't have his way for once, and she would finally stand up to him, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"Suffering! What do you know about suffering?" Rose grabbed Opal's hand and dug her nails in her skin. The air around was becoming hot and rigid and electricity was buzzing in the air.

Rose watched coolly as the electricity was traveling down her arm.

She cursed rather loudly.

Opal flew from her grasp due to the contact of the lightning. She was lodged in the wall debris crumbling beneath her weight and around her.

"You killed her!"

No.

"Ethan go find the long haired man."

A tear fell down his face slowly as if announcing the coming of rain that may or may not come.

"Ethan," she walked to his side, crouched down to his level, and put her hand on his head,"baby I wouldn't do anything like that to her. It may not look like it but I'm helping her."

"Your hurting her."

She couldn't come back from this. Not now or not ever. If she didn't believe in Opal it could be the end of everything for her, the world...and her father.

"I know it looks like it...but it's not true. Some people you may have to hurt to help...but in the end you would have helped and that's all that needs to be done. All you could have done, so please Ethan...can you find the long haired man and get to safety?"

The rain had finally came and was streaming down Ethan's face. She took her long sleeve and wiped his face.

"Can you promise to do that for me?"

Ethan nodded. He started walking away. Rose watched him every step of the way. He looked back on last time, and she nodded...he was no more. He was safe and that's all that mattered. He would do what she told him to do and he would be safe. Everything would be—

Rose starting coughing and clawing at her throat. Her breath was gone and she could barely stay concous. She looked back at were Opal was but she was gone.

Where.

She couldn't have gone anywhere. She wouldn't in matter of that fact. But she wasn't here.

Rose took a deep breath. She put her hands on the ground and reached down into her soul.

Same as she always had been.

She hadn't gone back to it in years, but desperate times call for desperate measures is what the mortals say.

Human's, elves, and dwarves. With an edition of everything else that can die...not mortals.

That may be one thing they haven't gotten wrong..

"What game are you playing at?" Artemis questioned.

"What are you talking about?!" The deity bit back.

Artemis hadn't woken up too long ago but after the short period of time of blundering about. He was beginning to lose his patience. There was a great deal of things they were in the dark about and he could no longer tolerated being a pawn in someone else's game.

"I don't believe I stuttered," Artemis narrowed his eyes, "Your using us and I don't appreciate it. If you wanted our help you could have just told us everything and asked. What is your real goal? What misfortune get event made the God's so anxious to come out of hiding and use mortals as pawns for their own causes? What is are real purpose to help you?"

There was a long moment of silence.

The deity didn't answer for a long time. Just stared. His face was still twisted up in a scowl, but it was more calm and mixed with...curiosity. Artemis was giving his own look. But not with disdain.

"They said you were clever, but I didn't expect much because you are a mortal. I underestimated you. A great deal I have underestimated you. You can not possibly imagine how much, but let me get to the point."

The God walked out in front of them all and leaned against a tree. His face fell into a glowering blank stare.

"Your dead friend that was given a second chance at life with the consult of my brother has caused a lot of trouble and my daughter a well as as my brothers had the nerve to defy me and protect her."

Artemis narrowed his eyes."What kind of trouble?"

"She has raised a black sorcerer from the dead for own petty purpose of gaining power and it's not just some plain sorcerer. He almost destroyed the home of my family- the gods to take over our positions for himself. Your friend may be ambitious, but it's far from this thing's. He's a stubborn dumb fool.

My daughter was able to aid us and help end his life, but risen again he would only go back to his inferior ways and damn us all in his attempts to take what he falsely believes is his right."

Holy perked up. "Is it Frond?"

" God's above and below no! The man was power hungry but dumb as dirt itself," enrolled his eyes, "thefates definitely did not bless him with the right mind of any man mortal or not."

"So your saying this...sorcerer.. Is clever?" Artemis proposed.

"In a sense. Probably nothing you couldn't handle if I wanted you to be the brains behind everything." The deity snorted.

"If?" Artemis raised his eyebrows.

"If that is not what my purpose for you is, what is it that you want me here for?"

The deity rolled his eyes lazily.

"Nothing important. If it makes you happy, I will tell you of your insignificant purpose," he waved his hand nonchalantly," you are very much like a person I hated. He was a nuisance my daughter kept around, but since your like him, I just wanted to know how she would react to her past. That is all."

Artemis gave a small pause and blinked in surprise.

"Your toying with your daughters emotions by bringing up her past?" Holly infuriatingly interrupted.

"That's sick. Why would you do that?"

The deity shrugged. "What's my business is my business. I won't answer your question but I'll tell you this. There are certain matters I do not rust my daughter with and would like to do for her out of the kindness of my heart as a father. To do for her what all fathers do, but she defies me with every fiber of her being and does it her self. What I do to her she brings on herself."

Holly stormed over to the God and punched him as hard as she could in the stomach.

An impressive move on Holly's end, which would be expected from her, but it wouldn't get them anywhere.

The deity didn't flinch but rolled his shoulders and grabbed her neck.

"Don't. You. EVER! Lay your insignificant hands on me or you'll have he'll to pay and I would personally see to it myself."

The deity threw Holly against a tree. After he threw her, he saw a look come across his face. It wasn't alot, but it was enough. It was enough to change everything for them and dig deep into the emotions of the eternal being and change his attitude.

Artemis went over to Holly and helped her up by putting a hand on her shoulder. She brushed him off and gave him a reassuring smile that said she was fine.

With that done Artemis looked at the situation at hand.

You feel guilty. There's something that's bothering you. You did something to your daughter and you feel bad about it, so you let out your frustration on other people through anger. You might actually be a nice person, but right now you feel emotionally attacked, so your angry on the inside. Tell. Me. Im. Wrong."

Artemis walked to the deity slowly.

"You don't have to be angry."

"I know." The God turned and Artemis didn't expect to see what he saw.

His eyes were bloodshot and tears were streaming down his face. He put a hand on Artemis' s shoulder. "Son your growing up into a fine man. Your parents are probably the proudest in the world." With that thedeity had tears no more and a wide on his face. He leaned in close to Artemis' s face and whispered. "I didn't really mean anything I said to you or to your friend, and I didn't mean to hurt any if you. It was all a test. Somethings I said were actually true. It's up to you determine what those things were. Im not an angry guy or a bad guy, but I have done bad things that I regret with every waking day." Artemis watched as he walked away into the middle of the clearing. Lastly he turned around.

"Goodbye Artemis Fowl." With a wave and a wink...he was gone. As he dispersed a bright light shined and Artemis closed his eyes. When he opened them he was no longer somewhere in the woods. He was in front of a large wooden door. It was the same as the one at the house before, but this one had events of fairy history on it. How he knew he didn't know. He just felt it.


	8. Contradictions

Artemis was at the door along with Holly, Riker, and Trouble. Holly and Trouble embraced each other and frantically caught up on safety of their better halfs, and found out whether they were okay or not.

 

Apparently Trouble was protecting Foaly in a cave full of the creatures that attacked them in Rose’s home.

 

‘I thought i was going to live my last moments protecting a screaming centaur with you on my mind.” Trouble was laughing but it was a frantic and panicky laugh. Holly insulted him half heartedly then kissing him, reassuring him he’d die a hero one day. 

 

Artemis watched their happy moment wishing for something like that. 

 

With Holly? 

 

No.

 

That was long gone. He just wanted a face to wake up to, a face to look forward to after a long day of work, a face to die for...a face too love. 

 

He and Holly had that. But it went sour after they realised they weren't as perfect together as they thought they would be. 

 

He turned his attention to the door and marveled at its beauty. It had old fairy history carved into it. A lot of it had to do with the fall of the fairy people, leading to them living under ground, but as he craned his neck upward he saw warlocks or priest and people worshiping something. 

 

Sometimes it was objects or things in nature. One of them he saw was Rose’s father and three other men. There were others that were twins.( the carvings resembled.) One of the people in the carvings caught his eye. It was a beautiful women that belonged in another set of twins in the carvings. Despite never seeing her face before he felt the carvings did her face no justice. He wished he could get a better look at it but it was so far up. He raised his hand out and reached for it. He could almost touch it. If he stood on his toes he might just be able to-

 

Trouble crashed into Artemis putting an arm around his shoulders making him lose his balance.

 

“ Artemis, what the hell are you doing?”

 

“Nothing.” Artemis sighed.

 

Trouble hated Artemis a little less than he used to after his marriage with Holly which was understandable. 

 

“Weird carvings. I wonder what those crazy people were worshiping back then?” 

 

Trouble laughed so hard he brought tears to his eyes. There really wasn't anything to be laughing about, but he was previously in a time of great stress, so one could relate if his nerves were a little all over the place. 

 

“Those crazy people were probably worshiping their Gods.” A loud voice out of nowhere defended.

 

The huge doors opened with a loud hiss of air revealing a grandiose throne room of sorts.

 

When they walked into the room they saw two throne chairs elaborately made from gold, ruby, and black onyx. The bigger one had more onyx at the head which contained a lion made out of such, but the second one had rubies at its head, forming a flower or plant of some kind that looked to fragile to touch. 

 

“Sorry i didn't mean to cause offense.” Trouble apologized looking mildly afraid and cautious. 

 

He put a hand on his neutreno.( I dont know if i spelled that right. Its been a while) 

 

The deity approached Trouble and removed his hand from his tech. 

 

“You and your wife were practically made for eachother.”

 

‘How did you know we were-”

 

The deity chuckled and walked away towards the center.

 

“Its really not that hard to tell. Honestly. I say one thing and you both automatically assume i'm there to hurt you.”

 

“LIES!!” Holly interrupted.

 

“You caused a snow storm the first time we met that almost killed us, and then you choked me not to long ago-”

 

‘He what?!” 

 

Trouble faced the god once more, ready to attack.

 

“That wasn't really me.”

 

“And how does a person put their hands on another person's neck, claim it wasn't them, but use their own hands, with a witness account.” Holly pouted in Artemis’s direction. 

 

The little episode went on a little longer, and Artemis was quite surprised no one was dead yet. Mulch and Major Riker were having a hard time holding Trouble and Holly back. The immortal fairy god was holding a jilted look, not really aiming to protect himself. As soon as Trouble broke free from Riker, he pounced in the deity’s direction snarling like a rabid dog.

 

Trouble was on top of the deity throwing blow after blow. Sometimes at his face, but overall not aiming in any particular place, just as long as his fist hit him somewhere. Artemis saw desperation of some sort in his eyes. Desperate for what he didn't know. The deity didn't look any better: eyes remorseful. 

 

He looked at Artemis with a cynical look. 

 

And so his legacy ends...taken down by his own precious creation…

 

It was his voice. He indeed was playing games with his friends emotions, but there was no other logical exploration for why he acted liked he did other than what he said. As much as he didn't want to believe it, there was no other choice. 

 

Artemis was about to shout at Trouble to stop, but Holly tackled Him before he could speak. She handcuffed Trouble.

 

“What the hell Holly,” Trouble struggled in his restraints,”Why are you defending him after what he did us, What he did to you.”

 

“I- I don't know?” 

 

Artemis sighed. 

 

If only. 

 

A time time tunnel opened in the middle of the room, or he thought it was a time tunnel. A furious wind followed A woman, a man, Opal, and a child out of the tunnel. It was the same women from the carvings on the door, and as he predicted, the carvings didn't do her any justice. 

 

“My daughter” his dark frame appeared closer to Rose. “Do not fret. I did not mean to hurt your...new acquaintance. It was the dark….matter.” He gave her an understanding look and stroked her cheek.

 

Artemis tried not to stare but was failing miserably.

 

When Rose looked like a normal elf, she definitely could pass for pretty, he observed, but pretty didn't do much justice to describe her then and definitely not now. Her light nutty skin was now an exuberant ebony, and her lips more full. As his eyes fell upon her chest and hips he quickly averted his gaze and tried to hide his blush at her newly (and obvious) robust in those certain areas. From the corner of his eye he saw Holly hiding a smirk behind her hand while whispering something in Trouble’s ear. He sighed and returned his attention to the unraveling scene.

 

Rose’s breath became more frigid and it shuttered. The silence was unwavering awaiting her response with everyone else. “I know it wasn't you….just let us know when you begin to give into the darkness…father.”she held his hand to her face, smiled sadly, then removed it.”

 

Her father kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Artemis looked over to Riker who quickly wiped a tear and looked away with forced nonchalance. 

 

The man with dreads and similar dark skin to Rose looked at her father and cleared his throat rather loudly. 

 

“As much as I would hate to ruin your bonding moment with your daughter brother, but we have more important matters to attend to.”

 

Rose sharply turned her head and they locked eyes. Artemis felt trapped under her gaze, what he assumed was a hard critical gaze. It was hard to tell when she held no sign of an iris, pupil, and anything else that said a person had eyes. She did have them though…. They were just white blanks with no detail.

 

Artemis felt a blush creep to his face and this one he couldn't hide. With much annoyance on his end.

 

“What are they doing here?” Rose accused in her father's direction.” He sheepishly replied while averting his eyes from her hard gaze.

 

“Err safety.” 

 

An overwhelming sense of relief washed over Rose’s features. 

 

“I can get rid of it.” 

 

Her father rose slowly out of his seat and waved a hand.

 

“Leave us.”

 

Rose watched as a confused crowd left the room. Artemis. Holly, Trouble, and all.

 

Her father pulled her in his embrace triggering a rush of memories. She held on to her tears not allowing them the freedom to come out of her eyes. Her father stop and started a lot of sentences, but he couldn't seem to collect himself and neither could she. She wiped a tear that fell down his face.

 

“I can get rid of it….it may hurt but it'll work.”

 

“The only way to get rid of it is if you Osborn it into you.”

 

“Or a stone...I found some.” She held up a bag that clicked with the ancient crystals that held her father’s cure.

 

“After the crystals absorb the black magic, I could also absorb Tetinius into one as well.”

 

Her father blankly stared at her in silence. His face slowly turned into a doubtful look as he thought it all over.

 

“Let me use the stones to absorb Tetinius.”

 

Rose’s face fell. 

 

“B-but I could do it. Why don't you think I can'—”

 

“Not up for debate. End of discussion,” He cut her off with his hands,” you are to stay on the battlefield and protect the boy.”

 

Rose scoffed.” What boy.”

 

“The smart one.”

 

“No. I can't watch out for another life on the battlefield when I can barely look after my own.” That was a serious lie and she knew he knew. She had nothing else to say. No other excuse. She honestly just didn't want to do it.

 

He looked at her and she could tell he was on edge. His eyes flowed and the room dropped several temperatures.

 

“Just go get ready and do as I say. I don't want to continue this conversation.”

 

Rose shrugged her shoulders and started making way for her room. 

 

It's been awhile since she's fought in a war. Guiltily she was giddy at the thought. It made her ecstatic.

 

She heard footsteps trying to catch up with her, but he didn't feel generous enough to slow down for them to catch up.

 

“I advise you try to walk faster. If not, you won't be able to tell me whatever it is you have to say.” 

 

“If you don't slow the fuck down, i'll tackle your legs and punch your fucking face in.” 

 

Rose smiled to herself and broke out in a run.

 

She laughed, buoyant at the chase, but soon found her face on the floor, tumbling down the hallway.

 

“You fucking bitch.” The familiar blue face and fire red hair smiled down at her as she pinned Rose to the ground. 

 

Naomin.

 

Rose kicked Naomin off her chest.

 

“Nice to see you again to. Yes, I have been busy lately. Yes, I was too busy. No I don't hold any grudges against you. Love you to how have you been.” She rolled her eyes.

 

Naomin brushes the dust off of her clothes on the red carpet of the grand hall they used to chase each other in when they were little. 

 

“Bullshit. There's always time to visit.”

 

“Could you cut the fowl language.”

 

“Since when did you start caring.”

 

“New environments promote knew behavior… I haven't adjusted back to my old self.”

 

“Since when have you ever been your old self, Naomin folded her arms,” last time I recall that was over 100 years ago.” 

 

An over exaggeration of course.

 

There was a long pause of silence between them. 

 

“Your mother wants you to wear armor.”

 

Rose sighed.

 

“I'm sorry to disappoint, but no…. at least not entirely.”

 

“Can you still not say a sentence…..without pausing in the middle of it...like a fucking child.”

 

Rose twitched her face into a quick grimace, but didn't say anything. There was no point in adding fuel to the fire. 

 

“I'm going to take a shower.”

 

“Why take shower when you're just going out to get dirty.” Naomin put her hands up with her shoulders shrugged and gave her a duh look.

 

Rose threw her hands up and continued walking to her room.

 

“Because you never know when your next shower will be after a war.”

 

Rose walked into her room and saw her mother sitting on her bed arms crossed.

 

“I knew you wouldn't listen to my advice.”

 

Rose peered over her mother's shoulder and saw a soundly sleeping Ethan. Her mother snapped her fingers to get her attention.

 

“You need some form of protection out there.”

 

“Mom, trust me. I'm the closest thing we have to a goddess of war. I'm not dumb enough to go out there with no form of protection.”

 

“Like what.”

 

“What I usually wear. It's not that serious of battle. Take down the source and it's over,” she sat at the side of her bed and brushed a hand over Ethan’s face, “and fathers doing that.” She said sourly.

 

Relief flashed through her mother's eyes.

 

“You told him to do it.” She said flatly.

 

“Yes. Yes I did. I did it because I am your mother, and as your mother I know your weaknesses and Tetenius is one of them. I am not saying your weak minded or has some great manipulative force over you. It's just that he can get you to the point where you stop thinking rationally.”

 

“That's not really the reason.”

 

And that was true. She could see it all over her mother's face, in her eyes. Her soul.

 

Her mother squeezed the bridge of her nose and huffed. 

 

“You want the truth, fine,” she cupped both sides of her face and looked straight into her soul,” the reason I don't want you to do it is because you still love him.”

 

Her mother let go of her face and sat on the edge of the bed and brushed Ethan’s hair out his face.

 

“You still believe there's hope for him. That you can still save him and bring him back to his honorable ways, but you simply can't. One he was never honorable or morally righteous to begin with. Everyone sees and knows this except you, so in order of just love I'm not letting you go out there to get your heartbroken once more by a man I've never liked.”

 

Rose silently took in her mother's plead. 

 

She had no feelings for Tetinius any more than she did, but no one seems to know that. They may “know everything else” but they didn't know that. 

 

“I. Do not. Have feelings for Tetinius.”

 

Her mother smirked at her. She laughed a good while and flicked her wrist.

 

Rose was no longer in her bedroom with Ethan and her mother. She was in a kitchen that wasn't the cleanest, but apparently she had just made breakfast. A plate of waffles on the counter in front of her, aroma of coffee was traveling around the room, dishes swishing in the sink.

 

“Rosaline.”

 

Hands wrapped around her waist and a mouth kissed her neck.

 

She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw him. 

 

Tet. Her Tet. Here, with her, living a happy moment.

 

“N-no. I-I—”

 

“Shhhh.”

 

His right hand slipped down her thigh, slowly coming back up and resting right between her legs.”

 

“Tet—”

 

His lips enveloped hers rendering her useless. 

 

She missed this.

 

Missed him.

 

She turned into him and tried to take control of the situation, but like always he fought back as hard as she did which made things go on further and longer.

 

His tongue grazed the inside of her mouth and she bit his lip pulling away.

 

His mouth traveled down her neck and sucked at her jaw.

 

He trailed kisses to her cheek, whisper in her ear,” “wake up.”

 

She was going to kiss him again, but he vanished.

 

She was now back in her room, face to face with her mother.

 

She swallowed. 

 

“I don't—”

 

“You should probably take your shower before it's too late and be careful not to wake the child.”

 

Her mother left Rose standing in silence. 

 

She was disgusted with herself… but not really. 

 

She hadn't truly loved anyone for ages. She couldn't be ridiculed for still loving her last despite their obvious flaws.

 

Especially when the ones people held them at fault for was your wrong doing.


End file.
